Driver blamed menthol tobacco for alcohol level

Prabhat Singh was four times over the limit when stopped by police on A9 on Boxing Day

A motorist who drove erratically on a dual carriageway before dumping his car on the road claimed he got drunk chewing on menthol tobacco.

Project manager Prabhat Singh told police officers he thought the chewing tobacco had been responsible for him being four times over the drink-drive limit.

However, Singh also revealed to the officers that he had downed almost a litre of vodka the previous night during a family Christmas party.

Singh, 36, from Brussels, admitted driving with excess alcohol on the A9 Perth to Inverness road near Pitlochry on Boxing Day.

Depute fiscal Mairi Graham told Perth Sheriff Court: “Traffic was moderately heavy on Boxing Day and police received two calls relating to the manner of driving.

“It was a Kia Sportage hire car driven by the accused.

“At 1.50pm, police observed the vehicle and turned to catch up with it.

“They observed it to be drifting across lanes and across the central line into the opposing carriageway, so they activated blue lights.

“It seemed to vary between accelerating and braking and rarely travelled at a consistent speed. They tried to stop the vehicle but he didn’t, initially.

“They didn’t think he was deliberately avoiding them by intentionally failing to stop – they thought he just didn’t know how to handle the situation.”

Miss Graham said Singh eventually stopped on the inside lane of the dual carriageway and got out of the hire car to walk back towards the police.

“He was suspected to be under the influence,” she said.

“He gave a positive breath test and was arrested. He stated he had consumed 700 to 900mls of vodka the previous evening.

“He later retracted that and then said the chewing of menthol tobacco caused the positive reading.

“That was in his possession but there was no ingredient list to see if it contained alcohol or not.”

Singh, representing himself, said: “It was a family holiday. We had a late-night Christmas party. In the morning I was feeling good.

“Whether it was the alcohol in the tobacco or not, the alcohol was in the mix. I was not aware of the rules in this country. I am an Indian citizen.

“I was not having any headache or dizziness that said I was drunk. In my country I was OK. In legal terms here it was not OK.”

Sheriff James Macdonald said: “The reading is four times the limit and that is a serious matter.

“There can be little doubt you should have been aware you were impaired when you got behind the wheel.”

Singh was banned from driving for 12 months and fined £1,200.

Prabhat Singh, from Brussels, leaves Perth Sheriff Court.