The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Covid worker in drink-drive blast
Crash woman claims police put her job at risk by arresting her
A DRINK-DRIVING Covid technician reversed into a lamppost then collided with a lorry – but berated police who arrested her.
Offshore worker Donna McGregor told officers they had placed her in jeopardy of losing her job.
The 56-year-old was more than four times the alcohol limit after drinking heavily following the end of a shift and then driving to buy more booze.
Fiscal depute Alan Townsend told Aberdeen Sheriff Court how McGregor was far from contrite when police stopped her after the accident in the city’s Byron Square.
Mr Townsend said after being breathalysed, she replied: “I didn’t drink-drive in my eyes. I stopped drinking last night and drove this morning.
“I have never done this and you’ve ruined my job.”
McGregor pled guilty to failing to stop following an accident, and to driving with 90 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 22 microgrammes. Ian Woodward-Nutt, defending, said his client had stopped drinking after realising she had an alcohol problem, but had lapsed following a stressful shift and had panicked over the crash.
McGregor was fined £840 and banned from driving for 14 months.
An offshore Covid technician who crashed into a lorry while more than four times the alcohol limit told police they had ruined her job.
Donna McGregor hit the drink after returning from a stressful shift offshore and then decided to drive to the shop to buy more booze at lunchtime the following day.
But the 56-year-old managed to reverse into a lamppost and then collide with a lorry on Byron Square in Aberdeen on July 7, before driving off.
Police were called and, when they arrested her, McGregor brazenly blamed them for putting her job in jeopardy.
Fiscal depute Alan Townsend told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the lorry driver noticed McGregor’s white Hyundai collide with his vehicle.
He added: “He observed extensive damage to the accused’s vehicle, and the vehicle continued to drive along.
“He was concerned about the situation and contacted police.”
The lorry was left with damage to its steps, wing and sidebars.
Police traced McGregor’s car to an address and found it with damage to its rear bumper, a smashed headlight and a missing wheel arch.
McGregor answered the door and confirmed she had been the driver.
Officers noted she was “slurring” her speech and “staggering” while walking.
She provided a positive breath sample and was arrested.
Mr Townsend said the woman replied: “I didn’t drink-drive in my eyes.
“I stopped drinking last night and drove this morning.
“I have never done this and you’ve ruined my job.”
After being formally breathalysed at the station, McGregor said: “I didn’t think I was drink-driving – obviously I was, so I apologise”.
McGregor pled guilty to failing to stop and provide her details following an accident and to driving with 90 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath.
The legal limit is 22 microgrammes.
Defence agent Ian Woodward-Nutt said his client had no previous convictions.
He said she had stopped using alcohol towards the end of 2020 after realised she had developed a “problematic relationship” with drink.
Mr Woodward-Nutt added: “However, on July 6 she returned onshore after a particularly difficult and stressful shift where she had been required to work long hours.
“Upon returning onshore on July 6 she drank a significant amount of alcohol.
“The following day, at around 12.30pm, she drove a relatively short distance from her home to the locus to purchase more alcohol.
“She was involved in these minor parking collisions.
“She panicked, and accepts instead of stopping she drove off.”
The solicitor said when McGregor returned home, she was so anxious that she drank more alcohol, adding this would have contributed to the 90 microgramme reading.
Sheriff William Summers ordered McGregor, of Springhill Road, Aberdeen, to pay a fine totalling £840 and banned her from driving for 14 months.