A north-east chef has been banned from driving after he got behind the wheel while more than twice the limit and crashed into a traffic light.
Lee Soutar admitted to having had a number of drinks when he was pulled over by police on King Street in Aberdeen on July 16 this year.
Officers stopped the 34-year old after they had spotted major damage to the front of his car.
The freelance chef claimed that in the early hours of the morning he had responded to a call from a friend stating that he was in a “distressed state”.
Soutar then jumped in his former partner’s vehicle and drove from Bridge of Don into the centre of Aberdeen, where he collided with the central reservation and hit a traffic light.
When breathalysed, the 34-year old was found to have 51 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 22mcg.
Cops spied ‘significant damage’ to vehicle
Fiscal depute Lucy Simpson told Aberdeen Sheriff Court that cops had observed Soutar’s vehicle had “significant damage” to the front when they stopped it at 2.45am.
“It appeared to have collided with a traffic light,” she said.
“The accused was required to provide a specimen of breath in the meantime, which was positive.”
Accused could not say how he collided with central reservation
Defence agent Mike Monro told the court that Soutar had drunk two glasses of wine and a whisky before driving that night.
He added: “He has been driving all of his adult life.
“On that night a friend have telephoned him in a distressed state and he realised what he was about to do, but he took a chance.
“He cannot explain how he managed to collide with the central reservation.”
Sheriff Philip Mann told Soutar he would “spare him the lecture” on the perils of driving while drunk.
He disqualified Soutar, of Donmouth Court, Bridge of Don, for driving for one year and ordered him to pay a £520 fine.
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