An Angus woman was tailed by police from Arbroath to Montrose as she drove her company car while more than three times over the old drink-drive limit.
Ann Hardy drove a black Dodge Avenger from a house party to her home on February 23 last year, first arousing police suspicion by driving without her lights on.
At Forfar Sheriff Court, depute fiscal Jill Drummond said the Avenger belonged to the sales manager’s company and was picked up at 3.45am by two uniformed policemen in Arbroath’s Westport.
However, the officers were engaged in another matter and resolved to look out for the vehicle later.
“At 3.50am they saw the accused driving north on the A92 adjacent to the Meadowbank,” she said.
“They followed and saw the vehicle swerving from one side of the carriageway to the other.”
The officers, PCs Hamilton and Greig, followed at a “safe distance” as the 31-year-old’s car “fluctuated” between five and 55mph on the road north of Arbroath, mounting kerbs as it went.
“The accused swerved on to the opposing carriageway for excessive periods,” Ms Drummond continued.
“On several occasions, the accused narrowly avoided colliding with oncoming traffic . . . and narrowly missed parked vehicles on the near side.”
The officers followed Hardy the length of the A92 until they stopped her vehicle at the traffic lights on Coronation Avenue, Montrose, at its junction with the A937.
Hardy was breath tested and gave a reading of 126 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath the previous limit being 35mics.
Road conditions were described as damp, with occasional street lighting in the settlements of Marywell, Inverkeilor and Montrose and traffic was light.
Defending Hardy, solicitor Billy Rennie said his client had been abused at a house party and panicked before deciding to drive home to Montrose and initially had “no intention” of getting behind the wheel.
“In the course of being at the party, a female has taken issue with Ms Hardy and made threats she was fearful for her own safety,” he said.
“She’s going to lose her job and this is already going to have serious consequences for her.”
Sheriff Pino Di Emidio deferred sentence to next month for reports and Hardy was disqualified from driving in the interim.
Hardy, now of John Allan Place, Arbroath, admitted charges of dangerous driving and drink-driving on the A92.