Drink-drive fisherman fined and banned after family fall-out

A Yorkshire fisherman found twice over the drink-drive limit in his car at an A90 services in Angus has been fined and banned.

Forfar Sheriff Court heard Benjamin Sanders had fallen out with his brother at a funeral near Aberdeen.

The 37-year-old left in his vehicle but was reported to police and their sweep of the dual carriageway led to Stracathro services just north of Brechin.

Depute fiscal Laura Mcgillvery said police had received a call about an incident between the accused and his brother at Portlethen’s Premier Inn.

“At 2.30 he was traced in the rear of his car in the car park, on his own,” said the fiscal.

Sanders, of Welwick, near Hull, provided a positive roadside breath test and was taken to Dundee police headquarters where he gave a reading of 54 microgrammes, almost two and a half times the legal limit of 22.

In response to being charged he told police: “Sorry for wasting your time, it should never have happened.”

Sanders admitted driving with excess alcohol on the A90 on January 10.

Defence solicitor Billy Rennie said: “He had been up here for a friend’s funeral and was involved in an incident in which his brother assaulted him.

“He has never troubled the courts in any way before.”

Sheriff Derek Reekie told Sanders: “You obviously knew you were unfit to drive and at least took the sensible step to park up, but that wasn’t until you had gone some considerable distance on a main road.”

He fined Sanders £500 and disqualified him for a year.