Over-limit ban man sent to jail

Guest intoxicated at hotel

A banned driver got behind the wheel while drunk because he missed his family, a court heard.

John Donnachy was jailed at Stirling Sheriff Court last week.

The 26-year-old was stopped by police on the A809 between Carbeth and Blanefield on June 1.

At a previous hearing, Donnachy issued guilty pleas to charges of driving a van while unfit, while disqualified and without insurance on the date.

The court heard that Donnachy had been staying at the Rob Roy in Aberfoyle while working in the area, and the manager of the bar had informed staff not to serve him due to his level of intoxication.

Fiscal depute Laura Knox said: “He was encouraged to go to bed at around 1.05am, however the witness saw the accused get into the driver’s side of a Transit vehicle and drive off.”

Police were notified and pulled the driver over.

They found him to be smelling strongly of alcohol, slurring his speech and with glazed eyes.

Officers at Clydebank police station discovered that Donnachy had been disqualified from driving at Dundee Sheriff Court on June 16, 2015.

Donnachy had taken the keys for the van from a colleague who was also staying at the hotel. The accused lost his employment as a result of the incident.

The court heard that Donnachy – of David Street in Alyth – was working away from home, and had got behind the wheel in an attempt to visit his family who he missed.

His actions were described as “impulsive” and the court was told that he accepted full responsibility for the incident.

Donnachy was sentenced to seven months in prison by Sheriff Wyllie Robertson, and disqualified from driving for three years.

“The problem that you have here is that you were previously given an alternative to custody for analogous offending,” the sheriff said.

“The only appropriate disposal is custody.”