A former merchant banker has been tagged after being caught drink-driving outside a St Andrews supermarket.
Gordon Begg who once sold a £1.25m house beside the 18th fairway of the Old Course was sentenced to a 130-day restriction of liberty order and disqualified for 17 months at Cupar Sheriff Court on Thursday, after admitting driving while almost three times the limit.
The 64-year-old, of High Street, Strathkinness, was spotted staggering towards his car at the Morrisons store in Largo Road.
Once a ”successful businessman”, Begg suffered alcohol problems after the breakdown of his marriage and overcoming prostate cancer, the court heard.
Begg pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol (97 mics) at the supermarket on November 22.
Depute fiscal Susannah Hutchison said a witness had noticed Begg parking in the wrong parking bay and told he should not be parking there.
She said the witness noticed that Begg’s speech was slurred.
Begg was later seen coming out of the store and ”appeared to be staggering”, Ms Hutchison said.
Sheriff Charles Macnair said the offence was ”too serious for a fine”.
Begg, a former Morgan Stanley executive, hit the headlines in 2002 when his then home, The Swilken, sold for a record-breaking £1.25 million. Afterwards he said he was looking forward to ”returning to anonymity”.