Court order is breached

Drunk driver spared jail by sheriff

A serial drink driver, spared jail after he was caught with almost five times the legal alcohol limit, has been given another chance to complete a community payback order - and stay out of jail.

Thirty-six-year-old Lawrence Kenny, who admitted his actions were “sheer, utter stupidity,” was told to complete 160 hours of unpaid work and was put off the road for three years at Perth Sheriff Court in May of this year.

But the court was told this week that the order had been “breached” as he hadn’t made sufficient progress with the number of hours.

Kenny, of Cedar Lea, Gowanlea Road, Comrie, admitted driving with 102 microgrammes of alcohol on his breath the maximum allowed is 22.

The offence took place on Drummond Street, Bridge Street, Strowan Road, Glebe Road and Glebe Square, all Comrie, in the early hours of April 8.

He admitted a number of previous convictions, including three for driving with excess alcohol.

One, at Stirling Sheriff Court, resulted in a 12-month ban, another at Newcastle led to him being put off the road for 24 months and a third, at Northumberland, led to a four-year disqualification.

Depute fiscal Carol Whyte said police on mobile patrol were tipped off about his car at 2.49am that morning. He was traced 15 minutes later, carrying out a three-point turn.

Officers followed him for a short distance and he thereafter provided a positive roadside breath test.

The reading, which showed he had 102 microgrammes of alcohol on his breath, was obtained just before 5am.

A lawyer said he had received a call concerning his father who has been diagnosed with cancer which was at a “fairly advanced stage.”

He wasn’t seeking treatment and there was “only one outcome.”

The solicitor added: “He had gone out with friends and didn’t intend to consume alcohol.

“He made an extremely rash decision to drive his vehicle.

“He’s deeply embarrassed. Because of where he lives - it’s a fairly small place nearly everybody knows about it. “He’s appalled at his behaviour.” Sheriff William Wood noted this week that there were still 118 hours of work outstanding and brought that order to an end.

But after reading a report detailing the “issues” the accused had been tackling, Sheriff Wood agreed to impose a new order but told him he would now have to complete 140 hours of work.

But he warned him: “Unless you want to keep being dragged back here, engage and complete the work.”

Kenny was given six months to carry that out.

He’s appalled at his behaviour