Courts in Moray: Drink drivers stopped only ten hours apart
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Police caught two drink drivers in a single day while patrolling the roads in and around Forres.
The first offender – James Kennedy – was stopped at Blaven Court near the Greshop roundabout at 1.40am on Sunday, May 28.
The second – Naheed Damani – was pulled over by the police at 11am in Kinloss.
Elgin Sheriff Court heard that Kennedy was driving a friend's car for which he wasn't insured.
A breath test recorded a reading of 50, compared to the legal limit of 22.
Defence solicitor Stephen Carty stated that his 30-year-old client rarely drank alcohol and was a carer for his mum and sister. However, on the night in question, he had been to a get-together at a friend's house.
Mr Carty said: "He agreed to use the vehicle to give someone a lift home. He didn't appreciate that he was over the limit to drive.
"It was a foolish mistake and he can only apologise."
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood said: "As much as anything I'm concerned that you think it's okay to drive without any insurance.
"What if you'd had an accident? What if someone had been left needing a lifetime of care. Who would have paid for that?"
Kennedy, whose address was given as Darwen Drive, Forres, was fined £300 and banned for a year.
The police stopped Damani near his home in Easter Road, Kinloss, having received information that there may be a drink driver on the road.
When breathalysed at Elgin police station the 36-year-old recorded a reading of 37, compared to the legal limit of 22.
Mr Carty said his client had been drinking the night before, adding: "His belief was that he was fit and able to drive. That wasn't the case."
Damani, who's self-employed, was fined £600 and banned for a year – a period which could be reduced to nine months if he pays for, and passes, a drink driving awareness course.
