A former Angus footballer was banned from driving for a year after he admitted toppling his work van while over the drink-drive limit.
At Forfar Sheriff Court on Tuesday, Ralph Brand, of Westfield Loan, Forfar, admitted driving a vehicle while unfit to do so.
The 43-year-old admitted driving a van on the A932 near Lochlands while under the influence of alcohol on December 15.
He was breathalysed by police, who found him to have 59 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, with the legal limit being 35 mics.
Brand is a self-employed tradesman and enjoyed a 20-year football career playing for several Angus teams and Lochee United.
Depute fiscal Douglas Wiseman told the court Brand had driven his work van, a Citroen Berlingo, south towards the A90 Forfar junction by Lochlands caravan park around 2.30am.
He lost control of the van as he approached and it flipped over. He sustained minor injuries and left the scene of the incident.
The court heard police attended his brother’s house half an hour later, where Brand admitted his involvement.
He had been out drinking in Forfar the night before, and defence agent Anne McKeown said Brand “had no intention” to drive after he had gone to bed.
“But he couldn’t get to sleep and decided to visit his parents,” she added.
“He clipped a kerb, over-steered to compensate, and the van ended up on its roof.”
Brand was “disoriented” and could not find his phone, so decided to call police from his brother’s house.
After being given the breath test, he was taken to Ninewells to be checked over. Ms McKeown described Brand as being of previously good character and advised that he had given an early plea.
“The drink driving may not have come to light if he hadn’t called the police as he wasn’t at his home address,” she added.
Sheriff Kevin Veal fined Brand £300 and disqualified him from driving for a year.