A drink-driver who tore through the centre of a popular Perthshire visitor destination in the height of summer has been banned from the road.
Roy Wightman was almost four times the legal limit as he overtook a line of traffic crossing Dunkeld Bridge in his Volkswagen Golf.
His ill-judged manoeuvre, undertaken on a blind summit, was executed so poorly he ploughed into the rear of another vehicle as he swerved back on to his own side of the road.
Witnesses who rushed to check on the condition of the drivers involved found the 40-year-old slumped over the side of his car. His speech was badly slurred and they formed the opinion that he was heavily under the influence of alcohol, so the police were called.
By the time officers arrived Wightman had already left, the court heard, but he was traced around three hours later at his girlfriend’s home.
He was given a breath test there and was found to still be well over the alcohol limit, registering at 132 mics.
The accused had been due to appear for trial but pled guilty before Sheriff Michael Fletcher at Perth Sheriff Court on Thursday.
Wightman, of South Inch Terrace, Perth, admitted that on August 29, at Dunkeld Bridge, Bridge Street, Dunkeld, he drove a car with excess alcohol. He also admitted driving a car dangerously, overtaking a vehicle approaching the blind summit of the bridge at excess speed and colliding with and damaging another car.
The offences add to an already lengthy criminal record that includes a long history of driving offences, for which he has received six previous driving bans ranging from six months to four years and dating back to 1987.
He has twice served short spells in prison in connection with driving offences.
Depute fiscal Katie Pacholek told the court, “At around 5.10pm two members of the public were driving in separate cars on Bridge Street in Dunkeld, which is a 20mph zone. Looking in his mirrors, the driver of the car at the back could see the accused pull out to overtake at speed.
“The accused crossed into the other lane so that he could overtake, on what was a blind summit, before cutting back in front of the vehicle. As he did so he collided with the rear of the car in front.”
Sheriff Fletcher deferred sentence on Wightman until March 23 for the preparation of social inquiry, community service and restriction of liberty order reports and for his driving licence to be produced.
He told Wightman that reports were required, giving the size of the reading and his previous record of driving offences, and disqualified him from driving in the interim.
Solicitor Billy Somerville reserved his plea in mitigation until the case recalls next month but did say that his client’s position was that he had consumed alcohol after the accident and before giving the reading to police officers.