Serial drink driver jailed by sheriff

A motorist, found to be almost twice the legal booze limit after smashing into a telegraph pole, has been jailed for four months at Perth Sheriff Court.

Forty-eight-year-old Iain McKenzie was also disqualified for four years after racking up his third drink/driving conviction.

He admitted driving his car on the A912 Bridge of Earn-Gateside road, near to Pottiemill Cottage, on August 26 this year with 41 microgrammes of alcohol on his breath.

The maximum permitted amount is 22 microgrammes.

Not guilty pleas were accepted to further charges of driving carelessly and failing to keep proper control of the vehicle and using it without a test certificate.

Depute fiscal Bill Kermode said the car was seen being driven shortly after 11pm.

Soon afterwards it hit a telegraph pole and a witness to the accident went to give assistance - and also contacted the police.

The accused was the sole occupant of the vehicle and he gave a“positive” roadside breath test.

He was then taken to the police station where further procedures gave the reading in the charge.

Solicitor David Holmes said the sheriff would be“concerned”in relation to his client’s previous convictions.

They revealed two previous drink/ driving offences in a“fairly short period of time.”

The last one was in 2015 after the accused had experienced “considerable family problems and difficulties”when he and his wife had separated in 2014.

“There was a major problem with alcohol and he received counselling and assistance,”added the lawyer.

Unpaid work was available and Mr Holmes urged the sheriff to consider that as an alternative to custody, along with a“lengthy ban.”

But Sheriff Gillian Wade noted the accused had been given the benefit of community-based orders in the past.

And she added:“That doesn’t seem to have made any difference.”

She imposed the jail term and the lengthy disqualification.

McKenzie was banned for 19 months and ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work at Dundee Sheriff Court on November 14, 2014, for drink driving.

He was then put off the road for 30 months at the Perth court on May 13, 2015, and also told to carry out 100 hours of community work for a similar offence.