A driver who slapped a police officer on the face after a breath test showed her to be almost eight times the legal drink driving limit avoided a jail sentence yesterday.
Helena Cook, 63, appeared from custody at Inverness Sheriff Court last month and pleaded guilty to charges of drinking while unfit through drink or drugs, failing to provide two breath specimens and also of striking Constable Allan Cameron in Ross Avenue, Inverness on September 19.
Sentence was deferred on Cook, of Tilehurst, Reading, for a background report from England’s probation service to address possible sentencing options for the second-time drunk driver.
But Sheriff Margaret Neilson criticised the report because it did not offer anything which applied to Scotland.
However she decided to deal with Cook, who had a previous drink driving conviction 10 years ago, without calling for a new document.
Defence solicitor Duncan Henderson agreed the report was not helpful but asked the Sheriff to impose a sentence which would include help for his client’s alcohol problem.
“She has a previous conviction for something similar 10 years ago and had a very lengthy ban. She requires assistance and can do light unpaid work in the community.
“She used to be a delivery driver but gave it up due to a health condition.”
Sheriff Neilson disqualified Cook for three years, imposed 200 hours of unpaid work and ordered to comply with a treatment programme as an alternative to custody.
At the earlier court hearing, depute fiscal Robert Weir told the court that Cook had been visiting a friend in Inverness, who was concerned that she got into her car under the influence of alcohol.
“Neighbours were alerted to this and contacted the police to report their concern she was driving under the influence of alcohol.” he said.
The court was told that Cook was traced to Ross Avenue, and a roadside breath test revealed she had 158 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
The legal limit is 22 microgrammes.
