A suspected drink-driver gave cops a catalogue of excuses why he couldn’t comply with an alcohol test – including being scared of needles and not being able to urinate in front of officers.
Michael Massie’s wife called 999 after her husband, who had been drinking earlier in the day, left in his car when they had an argument.
And when police traced the 66-year-old in the car nearby, he refused to comply with a breath, blood or even urine test.
Depute fiscal Lynzi Souter told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “Police had been contacted on 999 at approximately 10.45pm regarding reports that the accused had left his home address following an argument with his wife.
“It was advised that he left driving a motor vehicle and that he had been consuming alcohol earlier that day.
“Details of the vehicle were circulated to police officers and the vehicle was traced. It was stationary at the time on Balgownie Drive and the accused was sitting in the driver’s seat.
“The accused was alone within the vehicle and he smelled strongly of alcohol.”
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Mrs Souter said Massie then “refused” to provide a roadside breath sample and swore at officers before being arrested and taken to Kittybrewster custody suite and again asked to provide a breath sample.
Mrs Souter told the court: “He refused to provide this and stated he was the victim of police brutality and he had a lung defection. This was accepted by police at the time because he did have medical records indicating respiratory ailments.”
However, Massie went on to refuse to provide a blood sample, telling officers he suffered from hepatitis B.
Mrs Souter said: “This was not shown in medical records.
“He was challenged and stated he was frightened of needles and was unwilling to provide a sample of blood.”
Police then asked him to provide a urine sample. The depute fiscal said: “He then failed to provide that. He said he couldn’t do it because there was a police officer there.”
Massie pled guilty to failing to co-operate with a preliminary breath test and failing to provide a blood or urine sample.
Defence solicitor Ross Taggart said: “He had a serious argument with his wife. Unfortunately he’s taken a stiff drink. Luckily he’d only driven around 100 yards.”
He added: “He accepts his guilt. He accepts he was extremely unco-operative with police.”
Sheriff William Summers said: “These are plainly serious offences.”
He fined Massie, of Balgownie Brae, Bridge of Don, £420 and banned him from driving for 12 months.
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