Dundee drink-drive nurse had gin in car

BANNED: Woman traced after abandoning vehicle on top of roundabout

A Dundee nurse was arrested for drinkdriving after police found her car abandoned on a roundabout with a bottle of gin left inside.

Officers who found the Kia Picanto dumped on the A92 roundabout at the junction with Clearwater Park traced Tamara Cipars to her home.

The 29-year-old nurse, who smelled heavily of alcohol and subsequently failed a breath test, said she had no recollection of leaving the vehicle there.

Cipars pleaded guilty to drink-driving on the Dundee to Arbroath road on January 23 when she appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court and was banned from the roads for 14 months and fined £600.

The court heard the NHS employee had been suffering from a number of personal tragedies and stress at the time of the offence.

Sheriff John Rafferty told her: “Nonetheless, you could have caused serious injury or worse to yourself or others.”

Anurse who drunkenly dumped her car on a roundabout on the A92 has been fined and banned.

Tamara Cipars said she had no memory of leaving her Kia Picanto at the roundabout at the junction with Clearwater Park on January 23.

Police discovered a bottle of gin in the car at 6am before later tracing Cipars to her home in Dundee.

The city’s sheriff court heard how Cipars had turned to alcohol after suffering a series of bereavements as well as a break-up.

Fiscal depute Carrieanne Mackenzie said: “Police attended and found the vehicle on top of the roundabout.

“The vehicle had slight damage to it as well as a buckling of the wheels.

“There was a bottle of gin noted within the vehicle. Police were able to trace the accused at her home address.

“After repeated knocking on the door, there was no answer.”

Concerned for Cipars’ welfare, officers opened the unlocked door and found her in a bedroom.

Cipars smelled of alcohol and confirmed she had been drinking beer and gin.

She was taken to police headquarters on West Bell Street and provided a reading of 67 mics in 100 mils of breath, exceeding the limit of 22 mics.

The 29-year-old, of Alder Place, pleaded guilty to drink driving on the A92 Dundee to Arbroath road on January 23.

Solicitor Ross Donnelly said Cipars, right, a first offender, was currently signed off from the NHS on sick leave having had a “terrible” 2020.

“Her mental health was distinctly affected by traumatic events,” he said.

“She found her friend in the bathroom having attempted suicide and she died the next day. Six months later, her father passed away. She separated from her partner after that.

“All of this has taken place in the background of the pandemic and the additional stress of her employment as a nurse.”

Sheriff John Rafferty disqualified Cipars from driving for 14 months and fined her £600.

He said: “You clearly have had difficult issues over the past year or so. Nonetheless, this was a high reading and you could have caused serious injury or worse to yourself or others.”

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You could have caused serious injury to yourself or others