Pensioner’s dangerous drink-driving captured on his own dashcam

ACCIDENT: Footage showed car weaving across road before crash

A four-times-the-limit OAP’s dangerous drink-driving was revealed by his own dashcam after he crashed into another car but could not remember anything about the accident.

Footage recovered by police showed 74-year-old James Bowman spent 16 minutes weaving around the A923 from Blairgowrie heading towards Dundee last September in an offence his solicitor admitted was “as bad as it can be”.

Bowman has now been put off the road ahead of sentencing next month after a sheriff warned the pensioner every option would be considered in view of the seriousness of the offence.

The accused, of Ashgrove Court, appeared before Sheriff Derek Reekie at Forfar Sheriff Court on Tuesday where he pled guilty to charges of dangerous driving and being behind the wheel with excess alcohol.

The offence took place on September 25 last year on the A923 between Blairgowrie and Muirhead, with Bowman admitting he repeatedly crossed the centre line of the road, failed to maintain a safe distance to other cars, struck kerbs and then hit another car coming in the opposite direction near Tullybaccart.

Depute fiscal Laura McGillvery said another motorist called police around 5pm to report Bowman’s erratic driving.

Officers found the accused beside his car, bearing the private registration J7 BOW, at the roadside having sustained damage to its wheels and bodywork.

“He stated to police that he felt fine but was tired because he had driven from Oxford recently,” added the fiscal.

After providing a positive roadside breath test, Bowman was arrested and taken to police HQ in Dundee where he gave a reading of 90 microgrammes – just over four times the legal limit of 22.

Ms McGillvery added: “A dashcam was on the screen and the memory card revealed 16 minutes of footage of the driving recorded in the charge.”

Defence solicitor Brian Bell said: “There was a collision, he drove on and doesn’t recall that collision. It is fair to say it is as bad as it can be. He’s 74 and recognises there will be a significant disqualification but he does intend to re-apply for his licence.”

Deferring sentence until next month for a background report and tagging order assessment, Sheriff Reekie imposed an interim disqualification.

He told Bowman: “It is always very sad to see someone of your age appearing ...but the court is going to have to take a serious view.”

“There was a collision, he drove on and doesn’t recall that collision. It is fair to say it is as bad as it can be. SOLICITOR BRIAN BELL