Lossiemouth worker was over four times the legal limit
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A 60-year-old man who was caught driving four times over the legal limit in Lossiemouth has been disqualified for 16 months.
Elgin Sheriff Court heard that at around 10.30pm on November 25 this year, a police patrol spotted a vehicle driving erratically on Seatown Road through the Moray town.
Due to the manner of driving, the vehicle was pulled over.
Jonathan Ward, who resides in Aberfeldy but commutes to Lossiemouth for his job, alighted from the vehicle and is said to have "staggered" while doing so.
He identified himself to officers and a subsequent breath test showed that he had 96 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 22 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
He was cautioned and charged.
Defence solicitor Robert Cruickshank said that Ward had gone out for drinks with some of his colleagues on the night in question.
Mr Cruickshank said that his client had intended to leave his car and walk back to where he was staying for the night.
However, he went back to his car after realising he had left his house keys in the vehicle.
Mr Cruickshank said: "He doesn't know why he took the decision he did from there but even if it was out of character for him he accepts it was a foolish decision."
Ward pled guilty to a charge of drink driving at the earliest opportunity.
Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov disqualified him for 16 months and fined him £2000.
However, completion of the drink-drive rehabilitation course will reduce the ban by four months.
