A Fife drink-driver was six times the limit when he mounted a pavement in his van and hit a schoolchild.
Stuart Hunter, 41, tried to drive on but struck several vehicles before being apprehended by police.
After being charged he told officers: “This wasn’t meant”.
Hunter, of The Pleasance, Kelty, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing after earlier pleading guilty to driving a van with excess alcohol (130mics/22) on Kelty’s Main Street on September 25 this year.
Prosecutor Isma Mukhtar told the court that around 3pm, two children were walking home from school on a path at Croftangry Road when Hunter mounted the pavement while turning into the road.
The fiscal depute said: “He mounted the pavement at low speed and struck one of those children to the back of their leg.
“He stopped the vehicle for a few seconds before reversing and heading off.”
Ms Mukhtar said other drivers behind Hunter saw what happened and police were contacted.
She said Hunter’s vehicle was followed and he was seen to collide with “several parked vehicles”.
He then hit another moving vehicle at the junction of Seafar Drive at around 3.20pm.
Its driver approached Hunter and thought he appeared under the influence of alcohol, slurring his words and smelling of booze, so asked him to exit his van.
Police arrived a short time later and noted Hunter was “struggling to stand up”, his eyes were glazed and his speech was slurred.
Alcohol issue being tackled
Prosecutors accepted not guilty pleas to dangerous driving and failing to stop after an accident.
Defence lawyer Gino Gambale said Hunter stated in a social work report he is embarrassed and disgusted by his behaviour.
He had been at a friend’s house drinking alcohol and has little recollection of events.
Mr Gambale said his client has identified a significant underlying alcohol difficulty and will be abstaining.
Sheriff Krista Johnston said: “You are 41 and old enough to know that this kind of driving is so dangerous to the public and, of course, yourself.
“It’s such a bad narrative of events that my first thought is towards punishing you by way of a period of imprisonment.”
But the sheriff noted Hunter’s limited record and said the social work report provides her with a “glimmer of hope” he will address his alcohol problem.
She said: “If you do address the alcohol problem then the public are better protected from this kind of offending from you going forward.”
She imposed a 12-week structured deferred sentence and continued his interim driving disqualification to the next court hearing on February 19, adding: “If you are unsuccessful, I will have no alternative but to send you to prison at the end of that period.”
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