Claggan driver given jail warning

A Claggan man was told by a sheriff this week that he was on the ‘knife edge’ of going to jail.

Patrick Francis Togher, of Polmona, Claggan, Fort William, appeared before Sheriff Bill Taylor at the town’s sheriff court for sentencing following the compilation of a criminal justice social work report, ordered at a court appearance last month.

Togher, 27, had previously pleaded guilty to three motoring offences, including driving a car on the A82 road in Fort William and elsewhere on February 24 this year with an alcohol level of 58 mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath – the legal limit is 22 mcg.

Togher had also admitted driving the car while disqualified and without insurance. A plea of not guilty to giving police a false name in an attempt to pervert the course of justice had been accepted by the Crown.

Addressing the court, Togher’s defence agent, Gerry Sweeney, admitted his client was on a ‘finely balanced tightrope’ when it came to the issue of whether he would receive a custodial sentence.

It was a view shared by Sheriff Taylor, who told Togher: ‘Your solicitor has quite rightly described you as being on the knife edge of custody and today could be seen as a last chance.

‘However, I am persuaded not to order a custodial sentence but a community payback as a direct alternative to custody.

‘On the first charge [drink driving] you will be disqualified for 19 months and will also do 80 hours of unpaid work. On charges two and three, you will do 60 hours of unpaid work on each charge, making a total of 200 hours and you will have six months in which to carry these out. Your licence will also be endorsed.’