No ban for woman found drunk in car at side of M9

THE FORMER wife of a Scottish tycoon who was found smelling of drink in her car at the side of a motorway was spared a driving ban yesterday after a sheriff heard that disqualification might damaged her business interests.

Elaine Grossart, 57, appeared in the dock at Stirling Sheriff Court and admitted being in charge of a Toyota Rav4 Invincible on the M9 near Plean on October 18 after consuming excess alcohol.

Depute fiscal Adrian Fraser said police had noticed the Toyota stopped on the hard shoulder at about 1am with its lights on.

The engine was running and Grossart said she had just pulled over to text her son.

On being told that the hard shoulder was not a suitable location to be doing that, she began to argue with the police officers and they noticed she was slurring her words and repeating herself.

The officers noticed she was unsteady on her feet and she gave a breath alcohol reading of 46 mics. The limit at that time was 35mics.

Martin Black, defending, said Grossart, of Montrose Road, Auchterarder, felt “deep regret and no little embarrassment”.

He asked Sheriff Gillian Wade to use her discretion and not ban her.

He said Grossart had interests in two businesses — a political research firm and a business networking and marketing company — and also needed to visit her children at boarding school in Edinburgh.

Grossart wo n an estimated £2.3 million divorce settlement from her banking tycoon husband Hamish, one of Scotland’s most influential business figures, in 2008.

Mr Black said the split had been “acrimonious” and added: “She has not had her problems to seek in recent years.”

Fining Grossart £800 and imposing 10 points on her licence, Sheriff Wade said: “This was a serious matter, and your record does disclose a somewhat cavalier attitude to road traffic offences.

“However, there’s a degree of contrition.”

Asked by a reporter after the case if she thought she had got off lightly by escaping a ban, Grossart refused to comment.