An Angus drink-driver who gave a “horrific” breath test reading has been banned from the road for a decade and jailed for 10 months.
Ronald McFarlane from Forfar blew more than six times the limit when he was caught driving after an all-day drinking session during Brechin Music Festival.
The 57-year-old appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court and admitted drink-driving on Market Street while under the influence of alcohol on August 30.
He gave a reading of 137 microgrammes in 100 millilitres of breath during a roadside test for police with the legal limit being 22mics.
The court heard he had three previous drink-driving convictions.
“On the 30th of August Mr Penman, a friend of the accused, had driven with him to attend a music festival in Brechin,” said depute fiscal Cheryl Clark.
“They both had pet dogs left in the vehicle at this time. They had been drinking in pubs all day.
“At 7.30pm the accused went to walk the dogs and drove the vehicle along to Market Street to buy cigarettes at the Co-op, which was about 300 metres away.”
An anonymous member of the public had seen the accused in the Co-op, clearly under the influence of alcohol.
The men had been drinking in the Dalhousie Bar and police began to look for McFarlane there but found the accused driving along the road.
He was waved over and officers saw McFarlane was “heavily under the influence and was struggling to stand” when asked to leave the car.
Defending unemployed McFarlane, solicitor Norman Bruce said: “He had gone with a friend to the music festival.
“Unfortunately he had been given the keys to walk the dogs and realised he had run out of cigarettes and decided to drive.
“He is under no illusion as to what will be foremost in your lordship’s mind.”
Visiting sheriff Thorley said: “There’s no alternative here to a custodial sentence.
“I see the reading in the complaint is horrific, and even if we go back to the old limit it would still be a significant one.”