An Angus man has been convicted of driving while three times over the drink limit despite claiming he had been given a lift by someone he had just met.
Dafydd Jones, 34, from Arbroath had denied a charge of driving with excess alcohol in the town’s Millgate Loan on December 22.
His breath had measured 115 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, where 35 mics is the legal limit.
At trial in Forfar Sheriff Court, Jones claimed he had been driven by another, unknown person whom he had given the keys to as he was too drunk to drive.
Depute fiscal Jim Eodonable said the defence was not credible and was summed up as “a big boy did it and ran away I think Billy Connolly tried that one out 30 years ago.”
Jones, of Palmer Street, was employed by Tayside Contracts as a roads worker.
Solicitor Robin Beattie said his client “had tried to find the driver of the vehicle and was unable to do so” after he was charged by police, adding that he had been drinking all day before meeting the unknown driver.
Mr Beattie added: “He will undoubtedly lose his job if he loses his licence, as he recognises he will today.”
Sheriff Gregor Murray disqualified Jones from driving for two years and fined him £400.