Drink-driving disqualification

A Glasgow plumber, employed for four months in the new Campbeltown Grammar School’s construction, has been banned from driving after appearing at Campbeltown Sheriff Court. Lee MacDonald, 23, of 2 Drumoyne Place, Glasgow, pleaded guilty to charges of driving carelessly at excessive speeds for the road conditions, failing to stop for police constables and being more than four times over the legal drink-drive limit, between Main Street and Hall Street, Campbeltown, after a Christmas night out on December 17 last year. Line markings Three police officers attempted to stop MacDonald by extending their arms after he failed to observe line markings or keep a proper look out for pedestrians. Procurator fiscal depute Eoin McGinty said that MacDonald looked away and turned into Hall Street. When officers followed, they found the car he was driving parked, and the accused inside. MacDonald’s eyes were glazed, his speech was slurred and he smelled strongly of alcohol. Asleep He failed a roadside breath test, with 106 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, exceeding the prescribed 22 microgramme limit. The accused said at the time that he was ‘just being stupid’ adding: ‘It’s Christmas.’ His defence lawyer, Mr McKenna, told the court that MacDonald, who had no previous convictions, had returned to his accommodation after the night out and was asleep when a phone call from friends asking him to pick them up wakened him. Mr McKenna said: ‘Unfortunately, he got in the car.’ He said that MacDonald was ‘vaguely aware’ of someone trying to stop him so he immediately stopped around the corner from the police officers. He has since found employment in Sweden and had to return to Scotland for the case. Tragic Sheriff Patrick Hughes said: ‘This is a matter which could have had tragic consequences, but you are a person who comes before the court with previous good character.’ He spoke of MacDonald’s ‘exceptionally high’ breath test reading and acknowledged that although he didn’t plan to drive, he did. He fined him £900 and disqualified him from driving for 32 months. His disqualification period will be reduced if he completes the drink-drive rehabilitation scheme.