Artist Jack Vettriano has apologised to a court after admitting drink-driving and possessing drugs in Fife.
The internationally renowned painter, who was also found to be in possession of drugs when he was stopped by police near his Kirkcaldy flat last month, told officers: ”You know who I am. We can sort this out.”
Depute fiscal Brian Robertson alleged the Singing Butler artist, who counts Hollywood actor Jack Nicholson among his fans, was implying his position could in some way resolve the matter, although his solicitor made it clear he wanted to be treated the same as everyone else.
Sixty-year-old Vettriano, whose 2010 exhibition Days of Wine and Roses was opened by First Minister Alex Salmond, had taken a break from a day of painting and drinking when he felt hungry. Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard he decided to go for something to eat and foolishly took his car.
Moments later, police acting on an anonymous tip-off stopped him and found him to be clearly under the influence of alcohol.
Mr Robertson said he smelled of drink and was slurring his words.
On Wednesday, the painter, who gave an address in London, admitted driving with excess alcohol on Nairn Street, Kirkcaldy, on January 8. The alcohol in his breath was 70 microgrammes twice the legal limit of 35 microgrammes.
He also admitted being in possession of 1.3 grammes of amphetamine at Kirkcaldy police station.
Warning him about the folly of drink-driving, Sheriff Maxwell Hendry fined him £600 and banned him from driving for 18 months. He also fined Vettriano £200 for possessing amphetamine.
Noting his licence was clean apart from one speeding offence, he told the artist: ”When someone chooses to do that there can simply be no guarantee what the consequences might be.”
The depute fiscal said first offender Vettriano whose real name is Jack Hoggan was stopped at 9.50 on a Sunday evening.
”Police received an anonymous call that the driver was under the influence of alcohol,” he said. ”The police saw the vehicle being driven and stopped it. When they approached the vehicle he was clearly under the influence of alcohol.”’We can sort this out’He added: ”The police recognised the accused as a well known painter. He is known internationally for his artwork. The officer asked for his name and the accused stated: ‘You know who I am. We can sort this out.’
”He was implying his position could in some way resolve the matter but the police told him he would be dealt with in the same way as any other person.”
Vettriano gave a positive roadside breath test and was arrested and taken to the police station. Once there, the court heard, his mood appeared to swing from being extremely hostile to the police to one of calm.
He was searched and a packet of white powder was found near his ankle.
Mr Robertson said that Vettriano told police: ”I’ll come clean. It’s cocaine.”
Once tested the powder was found to be amphetamine with a street value of around £30.
Mr Robertson told the sheriff: ”The accused on one occasion made it quite clear that because of his position he thought it should not be happening to him, particularly the drink-driving offence.”
Vettriano’s solicitor John Gilbertson said: ”So far as this particular incident is concerned he made it clear to me from the outset he intended to plead guilty and wanted to be treated the same as everyone else.
”He had been working until the early hours of the day in question and throughout the day. He had been drinking as he worked. By evening he was tired and hungry and decided to have something to eat.”
He added: ”The address on the complaint is very close to the centre of town. He could have walked and should have walked. Instead, he decided to take the car. It was a bad decision and a foolish decision.
”He has asked me to apologise to the court for that. My client has been very upset by this whole business of coming to court.”
Passing sentence, Sheriff Hendry told Vettriano: ”At two times the limit you could not have been in a position to deal with any emergency situation that might have happened in front of you.”
Photo by Danny Lawson/PA Archive