A refuse worker has been jailed after driving through Arbroath four-and-a-half times over the drink-drive limit, while defying a driving ban.
William Brown was locked up after admitting breaching drink-drive legislation for the fourth time in nine years.
Brown was flagged to police due to his driving.
A sentencing sheriff labelled Brown’s conduct as “concerning” and banned him from the road for another six years.
Driving reported to police
Brown, of Nairnside Road in the east end of Glasgow, previously pled guilty to three charges.
He admitted driving with excess alcohol (99 mics/22), while disqualified and without insurance.
Police traced the 29-year-old on the A92 in Arbroath on June 4 this year.
Fiscal depute Duncan MacKenzie explained that at 6pm on the Tuesday evening, police received a call about Brown’s driving.
Officers traced him 25 minutes later near Asda, where he had stopped in the carriageway with his hazards on.
Brown drove into Westway Retail Park and police pulled him over and breathalysed him before taking him to West Bell Street HQ in Dundee.
There, he returned a reading four and a half times over the limit.
It was established that he was also disqualified and uninsured at the time.
Alcohol problem
Solicitor Billy Rennie explained his client chose to drive two minutes to Asda rather than walk for 20 minutes.
He said: “This was an offence borne of convenience and not clearly thinking.
“The background to that is he’s had a lot of difficulties with alcohol.
“This year, he put himself into rehab.
“He is working as a waste operative at Glasgow City Council.”
Jailed
At Forfar Sheriff Court, Sheriff Lindsey Foulis jailed Brown for six months.
The sheriff noted that social workers had recommended a restriction of liberty order but questioned how helpful that would be for someone with an alcohol problem.
He also imposed a six-year driving ban and ordered Brown to resit his test before getting behind the wheel again.
The sheriff said: “At the time of the offence you are nearly five times over the limit.
“This is in circumstances where, in 2015, you are twice convicted of drink-driving and in 2019, you’re convicted of failing to provide necessary specimens for analysis.
“You shouldn’t have been behind the wheel of a car because you were disqualified.
“It’s concerning that once you think you are able to get behind the wheel of a car, you do so when you are considerably over the legal limit and are going around a retail park which, at 6pm on a Tuesday may not be at its busiest but certainly wouldn’t have been empty.
“I consider that at this stage, it is now appropriate to take your liberty away from you.”
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