An Elgin man was yesterday banned from the roads for over three years after taking fake anxiety tablets before driving.
Colin Campbell, 35, failed to stop at a junction while behind the wheel of his car and caused a minor accident when another driver crashed into the side of him.
According to the witness in the other vehicle, Campbell saw the car coming towards him but did not stop, causing the incident on September 1.
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The witness described Campbell as being “hyper” and seeming “out of it” and both drivers agreed to take their cars to a local garage to fix the damage.
While there the mechanic described Campbell as “wired to the moon” and when he exited the garage he was seen driving erratically.
Depute Fiscal Rowena Carlton described the moment police attended Campbell’s home after the incident was reported.
She said: “When police officers attended the accused house they found him to be sweaty, unsteady on his feet and slurring his words.
“He could also barely open his eyes and the officers cautioned and charged him.”
Defence solicitor Grant Dalglish told Elgin Sheriff Court that Campbell’s behaviour was due to him taking tablets to help with his anxiety but that he “no idea” that they would affect him in that way.
He said: “My client had taken the tablets thinking that they were xanax and was shocked at the results of the toxicology reports carried out after his arrest.”
The tablet was found to have other substances in it and they did not come from a reputable source as they were not prescribed by a doctor.
Campbell pleaded guilty to driving a car while unfit to drive through drink or drugs.
Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov said that the tablets Campbell took were “basically a street drug” and disqualified him from driving for 43 months and gave him 135 hours of unpaid work to be completed within six months.