Dad missed contact visit with children after downing drink

A man missed his first postdivorce access visit from his children after drink driving to pick up toys for them.

John Evans had bought £400 of items online, but while surfing the web had discovered his ex had signed up to a dating site.

This led him to drink and when he was caught he was more than twice the legal drink drive limit.

Depute fiscal Lisa Marshal told Perth Sheriff Court: “It was 2.30pm and police were on mobile patrol in South Street, near the junction of Tay Street, when the traffic lights turned from amber to red. The accused was behind the police vehicle and rather than stop he accelerated through the lights.

“He was stopped on Dundee Road and officers could immediately smell alcohol.”

Solicitor Paul Ralph, defending, said the IT technician was preparing for a visit from his two young children at the time of the offence.

He said: “Earlier that day he had been on the internet for toys and home comforts for them, spending £400 in Argos.

“Unfortunately he wandered into other realms and discovered his ex on a dating site. He took to drink. He then went to pick up the items at Argos.

“This has been calamitous for him. Obviously he was not there for the children’s first visit. Also he’d have to take two buses to get to his ex’s house for contact.”

Evans, of Gowrie Way, Perth, admitted driving on South Street, Queen’s Bridge and Dundee Road with 57mics of alcohol in his system on April 9. The legal limit is 22.

Sheriff William Wood banned the 43-year-old from the roads for 14 months and fined him £600.