Drink-driver was more than 10 times over legal limit

COURT: Sentence deferred on man caught with 222 mics in his system when the limit is 22

A driver has recorded what is believed to be the highest-ever drink drive reading seen in Scotland’s courts.

Gareth Davies was caught at more than 10 times the legal limit on the A822 Braco to Crieff Road just months after the limit was lowered north of the border.

The 36-year-old had 222 mics of alcohol in his system on July 26 2015. The legal limit is 22.

Until December 2014 the legal limit was 35, meaning that he would have been more than six times the limit under the old rules.

At Perth Sheriff Court yesterday sentence was deferred on Davies, of Tulloch Road, Perth, until August.

A full narration of the facts of the case is expected to be given at that time.

Davies’ reading far exceeds that recorded when police caught Christina Lochhead, who appeared at the same court last August. At the time her blood alcohol level was described as one of the highest ever seen by police officers.

Lochhead passed out behind the wheel of her car and crashed into a bridge while more than eight times over the drink-drive limit.

The florist was found drifting in and out of consciousness by members of the public after the crash on the B9099 at Caputh on May 25 2015.

The 28-year-old was given a breath test and produced a reading of 177mics.

At the time Sheriff Richard McFarlane said: “The second police officer recalled the circumstances of the case because he had never come across such a high breath alcohol reading before.”

klmcintosh@thecourier.co.uk

Until December 2014 the legal limit was 35, meaning that he would have been more than six times the limit under the old rules