Driver crashed when almost seven times over the limit

A drink driver who was involved in a collision with another vehicle when he was almost seven times over the limit has avoided a jail sentence.

Lorne Anderson, 40, of Brands Row, Crossgates, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court and admitted that on January 2 on the B981 road between Crossgates and Cowdenbeath, he drove a car having consumed excess alcohol.

His reading was 148 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit being 22 microgrammes.

Depute fiscal Carrie Stevens said the incident occurred at around 7.30pm when the road conditions were icy.

“The accused had been driving and was involved in an accident with another vehicle,” she went on.

Anderson, who works as a gardener, was taken to Dunfermline police station for a breath test.

Solicitor Roshni Joshi said: “He’s a first offender at 40 years old and is extremely embarrassed. He realises it could have led to much more serious consequences than it did.”

Sheriff Charles MacNair was unimpressed to learn Anderson had neglected to tell social workers he had been in collision with another vehicle, saying instead he had hit a fence post.

Sheriff MacNair said: “This was an extremely high reading. More than six times the limit and one of the highest I’ve seen.”

He added it was only his early plea and the fact he was a first offender that prevented him from being jailed.

Instead he imposed a 300hour community payback order, banned him from driving for two years and ordered forfeiture of Anderson’s car.