A five-times the limit drink-driver who was found asleep at the wheel has been banned from the roads for three years.
Kenneth MacLennan’s driving was so worrying that a witness called police before attempting to keep him from driving further.
Drunk MacLennan was stumbling and slurring before he got back behind the wheel of his van and fell asleep.
MacLennan, 67, appeared for sentencing at Inverness Sheriff Court having previously admitted a single drink-driving charge.
Fiscal depute Shamielah Ghafar told the court that the offence had occurred at around 3.50pm on November 24 2021, when a witness called police with concerns about MacLennan’s driving on the A832 near Victoria Falls north of Kinlochewe.
She said: “Due to their concern with the manner of driving the witness contacted the police,”
Drink-driver was ‘highly intoxicated’
MacLennan initially got out of the driver’s side of his Volkswagen Transporter van and was “highly intoxicated”. He then stumbled and fell before returning to his vehicle.
When officers arrived they found him asleep behind the wheel.
The court heard that when spoken too his speech was slurred and his eyes were glazed.
A roadside breath test returned a result of 122 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath, more than five times the legal limit of 22 micrograms.
Solicitor Rory Gowans, for MacLennan, of Mossbank, Poolewe, conceded that alcohol was an issue for his client.
He said: “There is a problem here Mr MacLennan has identified it and is taking steps to get help.”
He added: “This is a 67-year-old man with no previous convictions, he appreciates how serious this is and never thought he would find himself in a situation like this.
Five times the limit driver had clean licence
“I don’t think he has even ever had points on his licence before – this is a wake up call for him.”
Sheriff Peter Grant-Hutchison told MacLennan: “With that level of intoxication, even with a clean record, you could have been in danger of a period of imprisonment.”
Instead he fined MacLennan £640 and banned him from the road for three years.
