Police officers discovered a postal worker unconscious and stinking of alcohol just minutes after she finished her deliveries.
Marcelle Robertson was initially spotted making her rounds in Kinross’ Springfield Park area on October 10. An off-duty constable became concerned after walking past her and noticing the 42-year-old was under the influence of alcohol as she delivered mail.
The constable contacted the force control room after watching the accused get into a Royal Mail van and drive off. Within half an hour, officers traced the vehicle to a compound behind the town’s delivery office on High Street.
Perth Sheriff Court heard how the doors had been left hanging open with the keys still in the ignition and packages clearly visible in the van.
They found Robertson lying asleep in a locked canteen area and were unable to rouse her, despite repeatedly banging on windows and doors. When they finally gained access, the officers noticed the accused smelled strongly of alcohol, her speech was slurred and her eyes were “red and heavy”.
A preliminary breath test proved positive and she was arrested.
Solicitor Steve Lafferty told the court his client had been experiencing marriage difficulties and had only just returned to work after a long period of being signed off.
“Regrettably, she had resorted to taking alcohol to cope,” he said. “She accepts she had been binge drinking and there was a significant quantity of alcohol in her system.
“At the end of her working day, she had returned to the depot and was particularly stressed.”
Mr Lafferty also revealed Robertson had since sought help for her drinking problem and was attending Tayside Alcohol Problems Service.
Robertson, Montgomery Court, Kinross, admitted that on October 10 last year, at Springfield Park and other roads unknown, she drove a van with excess alcohol (100mics). The legal limit is 35mics in 100ml of breath.
She was fined £600 and disqualified from holding or obtaining a licence for two years.