Driver was eight times drug limit

Adrug-driver who was eight times the limit for ketamine told police he was too unsteady to leave his car when they stopped him in Cowdenbeath.

Lewis Gill previously pled guilty to driving his red Volkswagen Polo while impaired by the drug on the A909 at its junction with Gordon Street, on October 14 last year.

When the 19-year-old, of Keltyhill Avenue, Kelty, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing, prosecutor Amy Robertson said police first noticed him at 2.20am on Cowdenbeath High Street, travelling “extremely slowly” and repeatedly braking.

The fiscal depute said: “Officers put on their lights and indicated (Gill) to pull over, which he did.

“He identified himself as Lewis Gill and they noted his speech slurred and eyes very wide and fully dilated pupils.

“On being asked to exit, he asked to stay in the car as he felt unsteady on his feet.”

Gill was taken to Dunfermline police station, where a doctor took a blood sample for analysis.

Defence lawyer Aime Allan said first offender Gill, who is in fulltime employment, had gone to a friend’s house and accepts consuming drugs and trying to drive home.

The solicitor said: “He felt he would be all right, but accepts he was clearly not.

“He understands there are other methods of going home he could have followed and (this) ties into his drug taking and age and perhaps a lack of some consequential thinking.”

Sheriff Garry Sutherland told Gill that driving while impaired by ketamine is “incredibly dangerous” and he was very lucky not to have crashed into a person and injured or killed someone.

The sheriff banned Gill from driving for 16 months and fined him £400.

Sheriff Sutherland added: “If I were you, I would stay away from ketamine.”

‘UNSTEADY ON FEET’: Lewis Gill had taken ketamine with a friend.