Five times over drink drive limit

A Perth man drove away with the front bumper hanging off his silver Subaru after smashing into the rear of another car on the city’s western bypass.

The crash took place shortly before 1.45pm and when 39-year-old Andrew Roxburgh was traced at his North Muirton home a short time later, he claimed he had downed a bottle of red wine.

He failed a breath test and later checks revealed he had been behind the wheel with almost five times the legal booze limit.

The accused, of Eriskay Place, was spared a jail sentence at Perth Sheriff Court last week.

Instead, he was ordered to complete 270 hours of unpaid work within nine months and he will have to attend for alcohol counselling.

In addition, he was banned from driving for 30 months, from August 13.

He was also given a concurrent community payback order, with 200 hours of unpaid work, after he attacked another man in Eriskay Place earlier this year.

Sheriff William Wood said he had considered jail terms in respect of both offences but was“satisfied”there was a direct alternative in both instances.

Originally charged with dangerous driving, Roxburgh admitted driving carelessly between the Broxden Roundabout and the A85 junction on August 3 last year.

He also drove with 109 microgrammes of alcohol on his breath on the bypass and Newhouse Road and Strathtay Road. The legal limit is 22 microgrammes. He admitted a further charge of failing to stop and give his name and address after colliding with the car driven by Laura Pacitti.

Roxburgh was also found guilty after trial of seizing Nathan Birch by the neck on February 15, 2019, repeatedly punching him on the head and body and repeatedly attempting to bite him on the body, all to his injury.

Ms Pacitti was driving north on the bypass at about 50mph because of heavy traffic.

She pulled out to overtake another car and as she completed the manoeuvre she noticed a silver vehicle, driven by the accused, approaching from behind.

“That vehicle then smashed into the back of her vehicle - she was unable to take any action to avoid the crash,” explained depute fiscal Michael Sweeney.

There was“extensive”front end damage to Roxburgh’s car.

The fiscal added:“She pulled her car into a lay-by. The accused also pulled into this lay-by but only for a second or two before accelerating away and continuing along the A9.”

A computer check revealed the vehicle was insured to Roxburgh and when police went to his home he “appeared to be sweating and under the influence of alcohol.”

Solicitor David Holmes said alcohol had been involved in both incidents.

The lawyer conceded he had been “drinking to excess - but not now.”

Imposing the two community payback orders, Sheriff William Wood told Roxburgh:“It does seem you did indeed have a significant problem with alcohol.”