A Lochgelly woman stopped her car on the A92 and was seen staggering about, chasing a dog and falling down at the side of the road.
Christine Beveridge blamed medication she had bought on the internet for being unfit to drive home when she was stopped by police in Cowdenbeath.
Beveridge, 66, of Union Street, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court to admit that on February 1 last year in Arthur Street, she drove a car when unfit to do so through drink or drugs.
Depute fiscal Zahra Bhatti said police received a report from a member of the public about a black Nissan vehicle being stopped at the side of the A92.
“The report was that a woman got out of the car and was staggering about.
“She had then fallen on the grass.
“She was chasing after a dog which had jumped back into the car.”
The woman then got back in her car and drove off, followed by the witness who said her driving was out of control.
Defence solicitor Aime Allan said: “She started feeling unwell during the journey and pulled over.
“She then started feeling a bit better and decided to drive home.
“She thought she would be okay to make it home and had her dog with her.
“She’s no longer seeking help from online GPs. She’s gone back to her own GP.”
Sheriff Andrew Berry said, given Beveridge’s previous convictions for similar offences he would have to act to protect the public.
He banned her from driving for three years and until she passes the extended test.
He also imposed a community payback order with 75 hours of unpaid work.
Church leader jailed
Stephen Charters, 57, a former church leader in Fife has been given a life sentence for rape and sexual abuse. The serial offender was jailed for five years and made subject of an order which means he cannot be freed until authorities are satisfied he is no longer a danger to the public.
Conduct panned
A Perth woman has admitted endangering members of the public by lobbing a pan out of a third floor window.
Rayna Haldane appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted a charge of culpable and reckless conduct.
The 45-year-old tossed the pan out of her flat at South Street on July 16, last year, putting people on the street below at risk.
Sheriff Francis Gill deferred sentence until July 13 for background reports.
Speeder ‘just went for it’
A biker who sped at 120mph in Perthshire said he “just went for it”. Kevin Flynn raced past watching police at Scone and has now been banned.
More prison time
A Celtic supporter, who caused a disturbance at the league title-winning match at Tannadice last month, has been given more jail time.
Gary Noon was jailed for four months for his antics in Dundee, during which he threw unlit flares and taunted opposition fans after climbing into the stadium.
Now, he has had another six months added for an offence committed when he was a prisoner at Glenochil jail and was found with an unauthorised SIM card in his cell.
Noon, 28, of Downs Street, Glasgow, appeared at Alloa Sheriff Court by video-link from prison.
He admitted that on 26 August last year at HMP Glenochil he was in possession of an unauthorised mobile phone SIM card.
Depute fiscal Ann Orr said the SIM card was found during a search of Noon’s cell.
Defence solicitor Eugene Boyle said his client was using the card to “keep in touch with his family”.
Sheriff Neil Bowie jailed Noon for six months to run consecutively to his current term.
Multiple abuse incidents
Laura McArthur, 26, admitted a series of domestic abuse incidents against her ex-partner in Fife. The man said she had attacked him so often – including biting him and trying to gouge his eyes out – he could not remember all the dates of the assaults.
Followed girls
A 52-year-old Dunfermline man pretended to take photos of two young girls and then followed them.
Barry Purches, of Petrel Way, admitted at Dunfermline Sheriff Court that on September 17 2020 at Dunlin Drive, he approached 13-year-olds, pretended to take photos of them with his phone and then followed them.
Defence solicitor Lee Qmsieh said his client was “struggling with drug misuse at the time and has no recollection of it”.
Sheriff Andrew Berry told Purches, “It goes without saying that your behaviour was wholly unacceptable.
“I can’t lose sight of the fact there were victims for whom this would have been an unpleasant and traumatic incident.”
“I’m really sorry,” said Purches, who has an extensive record of previous offences.
Sheriff Berry imposed a four-month restriction of liberty order and a community payback order with 18 months of supervision.
The full caseload of the Dundee Crime and Courts Team can be found here.
