A 51-year-old Lithuanian lorry driver was caught behind the wheel in Dundee whilst more than five times the legal drink-drive limit.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard the vehicle Vaidas Sargunas was driving was seen travelling erratically by members of the public on Sunday, and police were informed.
Fiscal depute Sue Ruta told the court when officers stopped the truck an empty bottle of whisky and an empty bottle of vodka were found within the cabin of the truck.
Sargunas, of Kestucio, Anyksciai, Lithuania, admitted one charge of driving a vehicle with 114 micrograms of alcohol in 100mls of breath, exceeding the 22 microgram limit, at Baldovie Road, at the road’s junction with the Dundee-Arbroath Road at Claypotts.
Sheriff Brown fined him £1,000 and disqualified the 51-year-old from driving for two years.
Martin Tait, of the Dundee Road Safety Forum, said it “beggars belief” that someone could be driving a vehicle of that size while over the limit.
He said: “Anybody that drinks and drives should be dealt with in the appropriate fashion and thankfully, in this case, this man was.
“It also beggars belief to be honest that the man was driving such a large vehicle when over the limit.
“It is frightening to consider this man was behind the wheel of a truck as he not only put himself at serious risk, but he also potentially put the lives of a lot of other drivers, even pedestrians, in serious danger.
“The drink-driving limit has decreased recently and for good reason, but it still doesn’t justify why he was over five times the limit — that is still a lot of alcohol to have in your system.”
Mr Tait also went on to say the time it took to sentence Sargunas was encouraging.
He added: “I am thankful this individual was caught in the act before he caused any damage to anything or anybody.
“It is also encouraging to see the urgency the courts showed in dealing with this issue.
“Individuals who drink and drive are few and far between but they pose so much danger on the roads.
“I feel his sentence was appropriate.”
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