Driver nearly seven times limit

A Perthshire woman who already has a conviction for drink/driving was caught with almost seven times the legal alcohol limit.

Forty-three-year-old Beth McDowall, of Innerpeffray near Crieff, had an interim driving ban imposed when she appeared from custody at Perth Sheriff Court this week.

But a prosecution move to seize her Renault Clio car, with a view to its possible forfeiture, was rejected by the sheriff.

She admitted driving on the B8062 road, near Sheareston, on September 29 with 151 microgrammes of alcohol on her breath. The maximum allowed is 22.

Two previous convictions for motoring offences, admitted by the accused, included one for a similar offence.

She was given a 12-month Community Payback Order at Elgin Sheriff Court on February 27, 2013, and also put off the road for two years.

Depute fiscal John Malpass asked on Tuesday that the vehicle be seized meantime.

The Renault was valued at £7325 but still had outstanding finance on it, he explained.

Solicitor Louisa Wade said although her client appreciated she wouldn’t be able to drive for some time, she would keep her job by getting a lift to work and would be able to maintain the payments on the vehicle.

Her 18-year-old daughter would, therefore, be able to use the vehicle.

Refusing the seizure motion, Sheriff Lindsay Foulis deferred sentence until November 8 and called for a background report.

The background to the latest offence, involving one of the highest readings ever seen at the Perth court, will be given then.

McDowall will also learn the length of her disqualification.