A suspended Tory councillor has admitted drink-driving with no insurance in her Perth constituency.
Audrey Coates, who represents the Perth City South ward, was nearly three times the legal alcohol limit when she was pulled over by police on September 26, 2020,
The 65-year-old admitted the offence when she appeared at Perth Sheriff Court on Tuesday.
She was fined £400 and banned from the road for a year.
Coates, who is married to Perth North councillor Harry, told the court that she would surrender her driving licence.
The local authority confirmed her conviction will not prevent her from continuing as a councillor and attending meetings.
Anonymous tip
The court heard police received a tip-off about Coates from a concerned member of the public.
Fiscal depute Elizabeth Hodgson said: “At about 12.40pm, an anonymous call was received by the police control room stating that the occupant of a specified car had been drinking.
“Shortly afterwards, officers on routine mobile patrol spotted Ms Coates’ car on Longcauseway, turning onto Seafield Road.
“Police witnesses followed the vehicle and activated blue lights to indicate that the driver should pull over.”
Ms Hodgson said: “One officer approached the driver, who was the sole occupant of the vehicle.
“On speaking to the accused, he detected a strong smell of alcohol on her breath.”
A check was carried out on Coates’ Citreon C1, which was found to be uninsured.
Sheriff John Morris halted the fiscal’s narration before she could explain how the alcohol reading was recorded.
“We don’t need to prolong this lady’s agony any longer,” he said.
A ‘difficult’ year for councillor
The award-winning businesswoman admitted driving along Longcauseway, Jeanfield Road and Cornhill Road in Perth, after consuming so much alcohol there was 177 milligrams of it in 100 ml of urine.
The legal limit is 67 milligrams.
Coates, of Cornhill Road, also admitted a second charge of driving without insurance.
Solicitor John McLaughlin told the court: “Unfortunately, 2020 was a difficult time for Mrs Coates.
“Her husband was admitted to hospital and she was obviously very upset.”
He said Coates was willing to surrender her licence.
Education pledge
The councillor, who sat on Perth and Kinross Council’s licensing committee, was suspended by the Scottish Conservative Party when the allegations came to light last year.
A Tory party spokesman confirmed that she will remain suspended.
He said Thursday’s judgement would now be referred to the party’s management board.
A Perth and Kinross Council spokesman added: “The sentence imposed by the court today does not affect Councillor Coates’ ability to continue as a councillor or to participate in council meetings.”
Coates was voted in at a by-election in 2017.
The vote was called after the departure of former councillor Michael Jamieson, following his arrest on child abuse image charges.
Commenting on her election win, Letham-raised Coates said: “This is an exciting time for Perth and Kinross as we seek to promote ourselves as a forward-looking city which builds on our rich heritage.”
She pledged to campaign to save services at Perth Royal Infirmary and for investment in young people and education.
She and her husband ran the Belvoir letting agency in the city centre.
Perth and Kinross Council has been asked for comment.
