Empty beer cans on seat of man’s car
Police found several full and empty beer cans on the passenger seat after pulling over a blue Mazda estate on the outskirts of Perth.
Officers had received reports of the car being driven erratically.
And when they spoke to 28-yearold James Abercrombie, he was uncooperative - and his speech was slurred. He refused to take a roadside breath test - and when he was taken to Perth Police Station he claimed he was being“pressured”into taking part in the further drink/driving procedure.
His lawyer Pauline Cullerton told the court he had been involved in a road traffic accident near his home some four days earlier - and because of pain in his chest he was unable to provide a breath specimen.
Noting that it was the accused’s third conviction involving“alcohol in his system,”Sheriff Lindsay Foulis jailed him for four months.
He was also disqualified for five years and two months - and will have to pass the extended test before he can drive again.
Depute fiscal Mairi Graham said police were alerted about 9.05pm and observed the car turning onto the M90 at Broxden.
Officers followed it and when they spoke to the driver he“appeared agitated”and was rummaging inside the vehicle. They removed the keys from the ignition and noticed the beer cans on the seat.
His lawyer disclosed he had previous similar convictions in 2010 and 2012 and, as a result, had lost his job.
Imposing the jail term and lengthy ban, Sheriff Foulis told him:“All the indications are that you certainly had been driving on trunk roads - and perhaps on motorways - and that at certain points during the lengthy journey you had consumed alcohol.”
Abercrombie, of Hodnet, Shropshire, admitted refusing to provide two breath specimens for analysis on June 18 last year.