Driver on drugs fined £1500 and banned

A man who drove in Stirling while under the influence of drugs was this week fined £1500 and disqualified from driving for 18 months.

James Stuart Cameron Watt, whose address was given as Kersemill House, was spotted unsteady on his feet after getting out of a van at the Jet petrol station in Stirling’s Glasgow Road.

The 26-year-old had admitted charges of driving while unfit to drive through drink or drugs – and failing to provide a specimen of blood for analysis to ascertain his ability to drive – while on bail on another matter.

Fiscal depute Ashley Smith said that two witnesses noticed Watt exit a van from the driver’s seat at 11.56am on November 2, 2018.

They were of the opinion that he was under the influence as his speech was slurred and he was unsteady on his feet.

They contacted police. When officers attended 45 minutes later they observed that Watt was the sole occupant of the van, sitting in the driver’s seat.

Asked to exit the vehicle, Watt appeared unsteady on his feet. His pupils were also of pinpoint size, his eyes glazed and speech slurred. WhenWatt’s breath was checked for drink, the reading was zero.

He was taken to the Falkirk custody unit and at 4.50pm requested to provide a specimen of blood. Watt refused and became aggressive.

He shouted ‘scumbags’at the police officers.

His agent told Sheriff Wyllie Robertson that Watt had difficulties with drugs at the time which had contributed to his offending.

However, having spent the last couple of months in prison, Watt was now entirely free of drugs.

The solicitor recognised however that Watt had an “unimpressive” criminal record.

However, there was nothing“directly analogous”to the matter before the court.

Sheriff Robertson fined Watt £1000 on the charge of driving while unfit to drive under the influence of drink or drugs and £500 for failing to provide a specimen of blood with the alternative of 28 days imprisonment on top of a term he is currently serving.

His licence was endorsed and he was also disqualified from driving for 18 months.