Pensioner drove into petrol pump

AN OBAN pensioner has been banned from driving for 16 months and fined £ 500 after he drove into a petrol pump while over the drink drive limit.

Martin Stewart, 71, of Glenview Guest House, Soroba Road, admitted charges of careless driving while being almost three times over the legal limit at Oban Filling Station on September 18.

Procurator fiscal Eoin McGinty told Oban Sheriff Court on Wednesday September 28 that the accused was witnessed at 7pm that evening driving into the petrol station on Soroba Road to buy a half bottle of whisky.

Then at 9.30pm, he said, ‘the cashier watched the accused collide with one of the pumps, and abandon his car at an odd angle. He made his way back into the shop staggering. The accused asked for cigarettes and alcohol.’

Staff refused to sell him these and pleaded with him not to drive off, but ‘he drove off with his door open,’ Mr McGinty said.

After police officers traced Stewart to his home address, Mr McGinty added, ‘they managed to rouse him at 11.35pm’, and found ‘the accused was smelling of alcohol and staggering. Upon caution, he said: ‘You know me, don’t you? I drove down the road. I was drunk. I shouldn’t have done it. I have done a really silly thing and I know I will probably lose my licence.’’

Mr McGinty concluded: ‘There is CCTV that caught everything on camera.’

Representing himself, Stewart said: ‘I was very stupid.’

When Sheriff Ruth Anderson QC asked to see his driving licence, he responded: ‘I have cut it up and put it in the bin. I can’t take the chance I will do that again.’

Sheriff Anderson said: ‘You were clearly drunk and you were driving on the streets. Really dangerous.’

She banned Stewart from driving for 16 months, reduced from two years for his guilty plea, and fined him £ 500, reduced from £750, to be paid within 14 days.