Drink-driver hit pole then house

A man who admitted having“issues”with alcohol contacted the police after his car left the road, hit a telegraph pole and then struck a nearby house.

But 33 year-old David Clark, of North Street, Burrelton, refused to co-operate with a preliminary breath test after officers detected the smell of alcohol from him.

And he was still almost one-and-a-half times over the legal booze limit when the drink-driving procedure was completed some five hours later.

He paid the penalty at Perth Sheriff Court when he was disqualified for three years for his second drink-driving conviction.

He also had a community payback order imposed and will be supervised for 12 months and have to complete 180 hours of unpaid work.

He admitted being behind the wheel of his Ford Focus hatchback on the A94, near Burrelton, on November 25, 2019, with 109 milligrammes of alcohol in his urine.The maximum allowed is 67.

He also pled guilty to a second charge of failing to co-operate with a preliminary breath test.

Depute fiscal Matthew Kerr said the accused called the police after the accident which took place about 11.50pm as he drove south on the A94.

He spoke to them about 15 minutes later. He was within the house he had hit, which was undamaged, and the owner had taken him in.

He was arrested after failing to co-operate with a preliminary breath test.

“However, due to the airbags being deployed – and the accused complaining of a pain to his right wrist – an ambulance attended as a precaution,”explained the fiscal.

“He was checked over by ambulance staff, they had no immediate concern for him and they were happy he didn’t need any immediate medical attention.”

However, after consultation with the accused, a sergeant who attended took him to A&E in Perth“as a precaution.”

The accused, who represented himself, said he lived alone and had both mental health and alcohol issues.

Because of a previous drink/driving conviction within the past 10 years, Sheriff Neil Bowie imposed the minimum three-year ban.

He warned the accused he should“think very carefully” about driving after the disqualification period is up.

“You have difficulties with alcohol and maybe your supervising officer can help.”

The unpaid work, imposed as an alternative to prison, has to be completed within 12 months.