Five-times drink limit driver is jailed for 76 days

THE colleagues of a sacked Blairgowrie hotel worker, who feared he might drive home drunk, were proved right when police caught him behind the wheel outside.

Perth Sheriff Court heard John Miller was fired from the east Perthshire town’s Angus Hotel at noon on October 6.

Miller, now of Church Lane in Halkirk, Caithness, had been told to leave after his employment was terminated as a result of his “alcohol dependency”.

Fiscal depute Nicole Lewis said during the course of the afternoon, staff at the hotel watched the 47-year-old collect his belongings.

They described him as being under the influence of alcohol and employees tipped off police, believing he might drive away.

Shortly after 4pm, officers pulled Miller over on Tannage Street and he failed a breath test.

Miller told police he had drunk 10 minutes before.

He pled guilty to driving with 109 microgrammes of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system – nearly five times the legal limit.

Defence solicitor Stuart Hamilton told the court Miller had since found full-time employment in Inverness.

Mr Hamilton said: “He was stopped by police.

“He had to enter a public road. He didn’t move it entirely far.”

Mr Hamilton added that father-of-three Miller recognised his actions would mean he was “bound to lose his licence for a significant period of time”.

Sheriff Alison Michie jailed Miller for 76 days, labelling his reading as “extremely high”.

She also disqualified Miller, who was uninsured at the time, from driving for six years.

Ordering forfeiture of his car, the sheriff said: “I do not consider that a community-based disposal is appropriate in your case.

“You drove while you were very heavily under the influence of alcohol.

“I consider that you present as someone who will continue to offend in this manner.”