A drink-driver jumped out of a window and hid in a bush to evade police after they found his overturned vehicle and traced it back to his address.
John Bernard, 45, appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and admitted charges of drink-driving and acting in a racially aggravated manner towards a police officer.
The court heard how, on September 13 last year, police found Bernard’s car on its side in the middle of the road on Chapel Brae Gardens, Braemar, Aberdeenshire.
Checks led police to his home, where Bernard’s girlfriend told officers he was “in his bed” – when in fact he had fled out of his bedroom window.
Police later discovered Bernard hiding in bushes.
Upon being breathalysed he gave a reading of 106 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 22 microgrammes.
Less than a month later he was again caught behind the wheel of another vehicle on Crimon Place, Aberdeen, and was found to have 78 microgrammes of alcohol per 100ml of breath.
Accused told cops ‘it was me if I remember correctly’
Fiscal depute Emma Petersen told the court how officers first discovered Bernard’s vehicle “on its side” and “lying diagonally across the road”.
She added: “The police traced the accused to his home address and were told by his partner that the accused had been lying in bed since returning home ‘shocked’ from an incident.
“He absconded out of the bedroom window but was found in some bushes.
“As he was being arrested the accused said ‘it was me if I remember correctly’.”
On the journey to Kittybrewster Police Station, Bernard then used a “racially aggravated” term towards a police officer.
Ms Petersen told the court that Bernard was again found to be over the drink-drive limit while driving another car around a month later on October 9 2020.
Bernard pleaded guilty to two charges of drink-driving and one of acting in a racially aggravated manner towards a police officer.
He also admitted breaching a condition of a bail order.
Alcohol was ‘extremely problematic’ issue
Defence agent Neil McRobert described alcohol as an “issue that was extremely problematic” for his client in 2020.
He added: “He knows things were out of control and he has been taking positive steps and is doing well.
“Mr Bernard realises the seriousness of the situation he’s in.”
Sentencing the 45-year-old, Sheriff William Summers told him that he had been giving “serious consideration” as to whether to impose a prison sentence.
“This is a serious offence”, he told Bernard. “I am particularly troubled by the drink-drive convictions.
“However, I feel I can deal with this without the imposition of a custodial sentence.”
Sheriff Summer handed Bernard, of Bank Terrace, Alford, Aberdeenshire, a community payback order with 12 months of supervision and ordered him to carry out 230 hours of unpaid work.
He also disqualified Bernard from driving for three years.
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