A drink-driver who careered into the back of a tractor while more than three and a half times the alcohol limit was arrested after police found numerous booze bottles littering his car.
More than a dozen bottles of wine and vodka all empty were found on the floor of Duncan Kimber’s Skoda Favorit. A ”half-drunk” bottle of white wine and a full bottle of red wine were nestling on the passenger seat.
Despite being more than three and half times the limit, Kimber’s solicitor said the accused was ”not really aware” he should not have been driving.
The Aberdeen University student (24), of Cupar, admitted driving on the A91 near Dairsie with excess alcohol (127 mics, the limit is 35) on September 14.
Depute fiscal Nicola Henderson told Cupar Sheriff Court on Thursday: ”The accused had been driving a Skoda Favorit when a member of public phoned the police indicating the vehicle had been involved in an accident.
”Police arrived on the scene shortly before 10pm and found the car badly damaged at the side of the road. The accused was present and told officers he had run into the back of a tractor.”
When asked to describe what had happened, Kimber said: ”I think it was a blue tractor.”
Police were astonished by what they saw in the car.
Ms Henderson said: ”A large number of alcohol bottles at least a dozen were on the floor of the passenger side of the vehicle. All were empty but had contained either wine or vodka.
”On the front passenger seat there was a full bottle of red wine and a half-drunk bottle of white wine.”
Solicitor Douglas Williams described Kimber as ”a delightful character” but admitted he had a ”significant problem” with alcohol.
He said: ”My client had decided he would go and see a girlfriend and take her a bottle of wine. It did not cross his mind that he may not be capable of driving and was not really aware that he was so far over the limit.”
He added: ”He was travelling behind a tractor which had braked very hard. He went in to the back of it and the hydraulic unit on the rear of the tractor went through the car’s radiator, leaving it completely immobilised.”
Mr Williams said passers-by helped Kimber move the car to the side of the road before calling police.
He said: ”He has abused alcohol since the age of 16 and this court case has brought home to him exactly what he was doing and the danger he posed.”
Mr Williams added that Kimber is receiving therapy to conquer his addiction.
Sheriff Fiona Tait said: ”Having regard to the high level of the reading you will be disqualified from driving for 30 months.”
Noting that Kimber has ”significant” student debts, she decided against fining the accused, instead ordering him to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work as part of a three-month community payback order.