A painter-decorator has been banned from the road after he drove home from the pub at the end of a five-hour drinking session.
Garreth Reid, from Brechin, ignored pleas not to get behind the wheel from concerned pub-goers at the Victoria and Albert.
Forfar Sheriff Court heard the 37-year-old drove his works van after downing five or six pints of Tennent’s, four Morgan Spiced rum and cokes and one shot of Jägermeister.
He appeared in the dock and admitted driving down Montrose Street on July 21 while nearly four times the legal alcohol limit.
Reid further admitted refusing to identifying himself as the driver to police.
Waited for pub to open
Fiscal depute Stephanie Hendry told the court: “At 4.15pm, the owner of the Victoria and Albert pub arrived to open up.
“She noticed the subject vehicle parked outside.
“The accused was sat within, waiting for the pub to open.”
She said: “The accused was served two pints of lager before 4.50pm, when he left the pub stating that he had a small job to finish nearby.
“At 5pm, he returned to the pub and continued to drink alcohol.”
Ms Hendry said his drinking was witnessed by others throughout the evening.
“At 9pm, he exited the Victoria and Albert.
“A witness saw him entering the vehicle and drive it into an area of street parking.
“The witness approached the van and knocked on the window.
“He pleaded with the accused to stop driving but he refused, closed the door and drove off.”
The witness called 999.
Police traced Reid to his home in Drumachlie Loan, Brechin.
Asked to identify the driver, he said: “Nobody. Not at all.”
The fiscal depute said: “He was unsteady on his feet and was smelling strongly of alcohol.”
Reid was taken into custody in Dundee at 10.30pm. He was breathalysed and returned a reading of 87 mics of alcohol per 100 ml of breath. The legal limit is 22 mics.
He told officers: “I never drove anywhere. I just want my solicitor here now.”
Life changes
His solicitor Billy Rennie said: “He clearly now accepts his responsibility.”
He said: “As a result of this incident he has sought advice from his GP. He is now receiving counselling in relation to his drinking.”
The court heard the incident happened on the anniversary of a family tragedy.
Reid expects to be able to keep his job.
Sheriff Mungo Bovey told Reid: “This is a very high reading and the matter is aggravated by the fact you refused to give police the name of the driver.”
Reid was disqualified for two years and fined £1,334.
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