A FOUR-WEEK festive blitz on drink-drivers in Tayside has resulted in 40 motorists being arrested with one stopped while driving a forklift truck.
The 20-year-old was caught after claiming he could not get a taxi.
He was traced by officers on the B9128 Forfar to Quilko road at about 3.30am on Monday.
He was more than twice the legal limit, and had taken the forklift from his employer’s yard without permission, claiming he could not get a taxi home.
He appeared from custody at Forfar Sheriff Court and was fined £350 and was disqualified for 15 months.
Fifteen drivers were arrested between Christmas Eve and yesterday, six of whom were traced after concerned members of the public phoned the police.
Over the same period last year, 43 people were arrested.
Graeme Bruce (37), Dunholm Road, Dundee, was fined £550 and banned from driving for 18 months after being caught while over the drink-drive limit.
He had 122 mics of alcohol in 100 ml of breath, with the legal limit being 35 mics.
He was traced by police at Castle Approach in Broughty Ferry at 2.30pm on Tuesday.
Sheriff Richard Davidson told Bruce: “This is an appalling offence, for two separate reasons.
“Firstly, you were almost four times the drink-drive limit. Secondly, the location, which is popular with families, and the risk to children cannot be overstated.”
Chief Inspector Sandy Bowman, head of road policing, said some of the people arrested “are already regretting their actions and are now suffering the consequences of these penalties and the full effects that this will have on their personal and family life and employment”.