Drink-driver was more than three times the legal limit

A motorist who “foolishly” drove his car to get some shopping while he was more than three times the legal alcohol limit has been jailed for four months.

Police stopped Mark Findlay after a member of the public reported concerns about his driving.

Perth Sheriff Court was told the 34-year-old, of Raven Grove, Auchterarder, had clipped the wing mirror of the caller’s car.

Depute fiscal Bill Kermode said: “Officers were on routine patrol around 3.20pm when the resident contacted them about the accused’s driving. The police spotted his car and approached him.”

The officers noticed Findlay’s vehicle was still moving and they asked him to apply his handbrake.

“One of the officers had to put pressure on the car to stop it from rolling backwards into other vehicles, while the other officer managed to put the handbrake on,” Mr Kermode added.

“The police could smell alcohol from the accused’s breath and carried out a roadside breath test, which proved positive. The accused was then taken to Perth Police Station to be charged.”

Solicitor David Holmes said his client had been drinking and had “foolishly” taken the car so he could buy some food.

Findlay admitted driving with excess alcohol – 76 micrograms per 100ml of breath, against the legal limit of 22 – on February 4 in High Street, Auchterarder.

Sheriff Gillian Wade told him there was “no alternative” to a custodial sentence as it was his second conviction for drinkdriving.

He was also banned from driving for 40 months.