Drink-drive lawyer banned from roads after second offence

An Aberdeen lawyer has been caught drink-driving for a second time after deciding to drive home from a church confirmation ceremony in Perthshire.

Linda Beedie, a director and partner at First Employment Law in Aberdeen, had planned to stay at a friend’s house in Perthshire following the religious ceremony, at which she had “a few glasses of wine”.

But when the pair had an argument and fell out, the 61-year-old decided to hop into her car and drive back home to Marykirk, Aberdeenshire.

However, two witnesses contacted the police with concerns that the lawyer was not fit to drive, and officers traced her to a Co-op car park near her home.

Fiscal depute Sean Ambrose told Aberdeen Sheriff Court that police received a call at 7.35pm on December 12 about a suspected drink-driver leaving the Perthshire area.

He said: “The caller named the accused as the driver and the vehicle she was in was described as a Land Rover Discovery-type vehicle.”

Police officers searched for Beedie but initially failed to find her.

Eventually, another witness saw Beedie coming out of a Co-op store near Marykirk, appearing “unsteady” on her feet.

The witness was concerned that Beedie may be drink-driving and contacted the police, who quickly arrived and found her over the limit.

Beedie, of Esk Drive, Marykirk, pled guilty to driving with 34 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath.

The legal limit is 22 microgrammes.

Beedie had initially been charged with driving with 87 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath, but this figure was amended to 34 before she pled guilty.

A plea of not guilty was accepted to a further charge of dangerous driving which alleged she had driven the vehicle with a burst tyre.

Defence agent Gail Goodfellow said her client had been driving for more than 35 years and had a previous conviction from 2014 for drink-driving.

Mrs Goodfellow added: “She had earlier that day driven from her home to her church in Perthshire to make communion at a service of confirmation.

“It was her intention to stay the night with a friend in the area and she had a few glasses of wine.

“After being with her friend for a relatively short period of time, between one and two hours, there was something of an argument between them, such that she felt it was no longer appropriate to stay overnight.

“Regrettably, she didn’t consider all the alternatives that might have been available to her.”

Mrs Goodfellow said the matter was reported to police and officers traced her at a Co-op near her home where she’d gone for “provisions”.

She added that Beedie suffered from arthritis which might have given the impression she was unsteady on her feet.

Sheriff William Summers said: “You will understand the court always views these charges seriously because of the consequences of driving in that condition, not only for you but for other road users.”

He banned Beedie from driving for three years and ordered her to pay a fine of £1,275.

CAUGHT: Police traced drink-driver Linda Beedie after being alerted by two witnesses.