Police found vodka in the front of a serial drink-driver’s car on three separate occasions in 18 months three times.
Mohammed Khalid, 32, previously pled guilty to a catalogue of crimes, including dangerous driving, drink-driving and failing to provide breath samples.
He appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court to be sentenced and was given a driving ban and unpaid work.
Half empty bottle in passenger seat
Procurator fiscal depute Amy Robertson said in December last year Khalid ran out of fuel while driving a Chrysler on the A92, then phoned someone to take him to a garage.
About an hour later police saw the Chrysler half on the road, half on the grass verge, with its hazard lights on.
The fiscal depute said: “Officers pulled over and found the vehicle unlocked and no people within.
“Upon entering they found the accused’s drivers licence… and also saw a bottle of vodka which was half empty in the passenger seat”.
Police drove the abandoned car to the nearest layby and found Khalid in the passenger seat of another vehicle.
He smelled of alcohol and failed a roadside breath test.
After being taken to the police station, he failed to provide a second sample.
Opened bottle in footwell
The court heard that on June 13 2021 he was stopped by police after driving around 50mph in a 30mph zone in Dunfermline‘s Halbeath Road and officers spotted an opened bottle of vodka in the footwell of his Volkswagen Tiguan.
Khalid refused to provide a roadside preliminary breath sample but at the police station he provided specimens which showed he was nearly three times the limit (60 mics/22).
Ms Robertson said on January 26 last year, Khalid was driving an MG car which was seen swerving between lanes on Kirkcaldy’s Oriel Road before turning onto the A92 and braking sharply.
A driver followed Khalid to a car park in Lochgelly and saw him get out and stagger to the front of the car before “slumping” on the front of it.
He then got back in and slumped his head over the steering wheel.
Police turned up and could smell alcohol and asked Khalid to switch off the engine but he could not comply.
He was arrested and officers noted a “bottle of vodka and plastic cup” in the passenger footwell.
Khalid refused to provide a roadside breath sample and later failed to provide two samples at the police station.
On May 11 last year, Khalid was arrested on a warrant and taken to a police station where he was found to have a bag of 0.5 g of cocaine in his sock.
He also admitted two offences of failing to appear in court.
Drugs and alcohol
Defence lawyer Pete Robertson said Khalid, who appeared in court by video link to prison having previously been remanded, had been taking drugs and alcohol at the time.
Sheriff Francis Gill pointed out Khalid – convicted in a fake £2 scam last year – has been convicted of six offences committed within an 18-month period.
The sheriff said: “In my view there is no satisfactory explanation for the conduct in respect of these offences.
“Your driving offences could have resulted in more serious consequences for you and other road users.
“You also have a record of previous convictions, some for road traffic matters”.
Sheriff Gill banned Khalid, of Kirkcaldy, from driving for a total of three years and told him to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work.
He was also placed on a curfew order for five months and must stay at home between 7pm and 7am daily.
The sheriff said he took into account that Khalid had been remanded in custody since April 18.
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