A north-east social worker has been accused of professional misconduct.
Adrian Boyne, from Newburgh, faces charges that he drove while under the influence of alcohol and then lied about the incident to his then employer, Aberdeenshire Council.
The 53-year-old, who is now a substance abuse worker for the charity Drugs Action, will appear before the Scottish Social Services Council’s (SSSC) conduct subcommittee at a hearing in Dundee next Thursday.
He faces charges that on November 28, 2012 – while in his car on Tullikera Road in Lonmay – he was found to have 122microgrammes of alcohol in 100mls of breath, exceeding the legal limit which, at the time, was 35mgs in 100mls of breath.
In addition, Mr Boyne is also alleged to have been dishonest to his employers in a written statement in March 2013, in which he claimed to have drunk a half bottle of vodka after parking a car in a country lane.
The allegation is that he had consumed an unknown amount of alcohol before he began driving that day.
The committee will firstly decide whether the charges are proven and, if so, whether they amount to misconduct and a breach of the SSSC code of practice for social service workers.
Aberdeenshire Council confirmed Mr Boyne was no longer a member of staff at the local authority.
A spokesman said: “Adrian Boyne has not been employed by Aberdeenshire Council since 2013.”
Drugs Action could not be reached for a statement.
Mr Boyne declined to comment when approached at his home last night.