The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Sheerin ban for drink driving
FOOTBALL MANAGER Paul Sheerin has been banned from driving for 15 months after he was caught drunkenly veering across the road in his club car.
TheArbroath FC manager was also fined £600 yesterday at Perth Sheriff Court after he admitted driving while he was nearly twice the legal limit.
The court was told that the club had taken away his official car since the incident but would not sack him from his £450-a-week part-time job.
Sheerin, who led the club to the first trophy in its 133-year history, admitted driving home drunk after a meal in Dundee on May 18.
He admitted driving the Nissan Juke on the Dundee to Perth A90 dual carriageway and the Dundee road in Perth during the early hours of Saturday May 18.
The court heard he had 68 mics of alcohol in his breath. The legal limit is 35.
Fiscal depute Jim Eodanable said: “Acting on information received, officers had taken up a point close to Walnut Grove on the A90.
“The accused’s car passed at 3.40 am,” he added.
“The officers followed the vehicle. It left the A90 at the Barnhill Interchange, where there is a sweeping right-hand bend.
“The accused’s car went left and right within the two lanes and was braking unnecessarily.
“The road straightens out and the accused was stopped. He co-operated fully with the police.”
Mr Sheerin’s solicitor, Rosemary Scott, said: “He is currently employed part-time in a managerial role.
“He realises he will be disqualified from driving.
“There is very little to say other than that he very much regrets it.
“He won’t lose his employment as a result of this.
“The car was a company car under a lease scheme and will go back to the garage. He had been out for a meal and stupidly got into the car and made the decision to drive.
“He is in a position to pay a monetary penalty.”
Sheriff Lindsay Foulis banned Sheerin, 38, from Perth, and said: “It strikes me that you would have known you were over the legal limit to drive.”
Sheerin guided Arbroath to the Third Division title in his first season in charge and formerly played for St Johnstone, Aberdeen and Inverness.
He scored in the Highland side’s famous cup win at Celtic Park in 2000 and was voted Star Saint of the Decade by St Johnstone’s supporters.
Sheerin started his career at Alloa Athletic before moving to Southampton FC then to the Swedish team Ostersunds FK.
He turned out for the Perth club 187 times over a six-year stint, netting 32 goals, before taking over as Arbroath player-manager in 2010.