A Fife woman drove at nearly six times the alcohol limit to a children’s football game, then became embroiled in a dispute with other fans.
Debbie Greig arrived late for the seven-a-side friendly match and was accused by parents of being disrespectful when she began “whooping” after the team she was supporting scored a goal, despite being well ahead.
Police were called by concerned parents who said they could also smell alcohol on her breath as she walked past them on the sidelines.
Greig, a 40-year-old specialist renal nurse, was also said to have driven her Nissan Duke into a small rock or log as she parked at the Fleet Grounds in Rosyth.
Taken home by off-duty police officer
One of the parents supporting the same team, Nicola George, told a trial at Dunfermline Sheriff Court: “Our team were winning by quite a few goals and she was cheering very loudly and I thought it’s not nice to do that in front of other parents.
“She was just awfully loud and she got closer and closer and I could smell alcohol off her and she was making a bit of a scene in front of other parents.
“I spoke to her at that point… I was trying to say to her ‘what’s going on?’ but she turned on me and started being mean to me, saying stuff about my weight.
“She was aggressive in her tone, argumentative and really loud and I felt quite embarrassed.”
After the game Greig was taken home by off-duty police officer and coach of the opposing team, Keith Dickson, who had concerns about her level of intoxication and the chance she would drive home.
Mr Dickson said she claimed she had only had “a glass of wine” earlier with a meal but he replied to say he “wasn’t convinced it was just one glass” and he felt he could not let her drive home.
He told the court she then began shouting and a crowd began to gather so he decided to take her home to defuse the situation.
Mr Dickson said as he drove her home she spoke to him about her dependence on alcohol and the issues behind it.
‘Don’t get caught driving’
Two police officers met Greig and Mr Dickson about ten minutes later when they arrived outside her home in Dunfermline’s Cadell Reach.
Both constables told the court Greig insisted she was sober when she drove her car to the game that night.
But one officer, PC Ryan Holmes, said Greig later returned a breath in alcohol reading at the police station of 127 mics/22 – nearly six times above the legal limit.
PC Holmes said, as Greig was being “booked in” to custody that night, she tried to get rid of a message on her mobile phone screen which said: “Don’t get caught driving.”
Greig had claimed she went shopping before attending the football match and had bought a bottle of vodka which she drank in a toilet at the clubhouse after she arrived at the game.
She said she did not want to be with the parents at the pitch side, having become embroiled in arguments with them previously.
Sheriff David Hall did not believe Greig’s version of events and found her guilty of driving the car while under the influence of alcohol on February 26, 2020.
Sentencing has been deferred until May 17 for the production of background reports and Greig, who was frequently tearful throughout her trial, was released on bail.
The sheriff said he would disqualify Greig from driving in the interim, given she was “almost six times the legal limit” and had a previous conviction which was drink-related.
