A drink-driver in Moray handed over a bottle of Jack Daniel’s after he was breath-tested by police.
Scott Stewart, from Elgin, was caught more than three times the limit during the early hours of June 10.
Police initially became suspicious about the Ford Fiesta the labourer was driving when they noticed its headlights were not on at about 1am.
Officers followed the car until it stopped at the 25-year-old’s home, in Kingsmills Court, before questioning him.
It was at that point they discovered Stewart was driving his cousin’s car without permission and only had a provisional driving licence.
Fiscal Alex Swain said: “The accused provided a positive roadside breath test and was thereafter arrested. At that point, he took out a bottle of Jack Daniel’s and handed it to the police.”
When asked by officers during the interview about whether he had any insurance for the car, Stewart replied “obviously not”.
Defence solicitor Brent Lockie explained his client had only been driving for a couple of months at the time of the offence.
He said: “He’s returned to the home and has picked up the car keys and simply taken the car for a drive around Elgin. He can’t explain why.”
Mr Lockie added that Stewart had been made to pay £330 to release his cousin’s car after it was seized by the police.
The Elgin resident was banned from driving for 15 months and fined £570 after pleading guilty to drink-driving with 69mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath – the legal limit is 22mcg – as well as taking a car without permission, driving with no licence and no insurance.