Three-year drive ban for rural drink-driver

A motorist, whose car was found on a Balfron road with accident damage, was this week banned from driving for almost three years.

Graham Hughes had failed to provide specimens of breath for analysis at Falkirk Police Office on Boxing Day last year after police officers found him walking on a rural Buchlyvie Road.

A road accident had earlier occurred on the A875 Kepculloch Road, Balfron.

The 42-year-old had pleaded guilty to charges of failing to provide two specimens of breath earlier this year and failing to provide information to police following an accident.

When the matter called for sentence at Stirling Sheriff Court on Wednesday, fiscal depute Lindsey Brooks said a member of the public had called the police about the damaged car at 8.20pm on December 26, 2020.

Police attended and saw the car off the road with the accident damage. It was locked and there was no-one around.

Officers checked the vehicle’s registration details. It was registered to Hughes. While travelling to Hughes’ address the officers came across the accused who told them it was his car.

Ms Brooks added that the officers noted that he was intoxicated.

There was also a can of beer in his jacket pocket. Hughes was then arrested.

He was taken to Falkirk Police Office where he failed to provide the specimens of breath.

His agent told Stirling Sheriff Court that due to a childhood trauma Hughes used drink as a coping mechanism.

However, he was regularly attending a support group to get help for the problem.

Sheriff Derek Hamilton told 42-year-old Hughes: “I have difficulty in dealing with you as I have no idea what the reading would have been.

“I’m satisfied that it would have been likely to be over the limit in circumstances that you were drinking a can of beer and your vehicle was off the road and showing accident damage.

“I have to take that into account. You also have a previous conviction for drink-driving.”

Sheriff Hamilton disqualified Hughes, whose address was given as an apartment at Auchentroig House, Buchlyvie, from driving for 35 months.

He further imposed a five-month Restriction of Liberty Order confining Hughes to his home between the hours of 7pm and 5am seven days per week.