A north-east delivery driver has lost his job and been banned from the road after being caught more than four times over the drink-driving limit.
David Buchan was stopped by traffic police as he made his way along Seaview Road, St Fergus in his car on February 1.
The 49-year-old’s reading was 94 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 22.
Buchan appeared at Peterhead Sheriff Court yesterday and admitted the offence.
Fiscal depute Gavin Thomson told the court Buchan was spotted by officers who were on mobile patrol in the village at around 6.15pm.
He said they had cause to stop his silver Vauxhall and then carried out the standard breathalyser procedure which produced the reading.
Defence agent Sam Milligan said the incident came at a time when Buchan was struggling with domestic matters with his marriage of more than two decades coming to an end.
He said the 49-year-old does not drink often because he regularly takes medication to deal with a spinal condition.
Mr Milligan said: “He had been married for 22 years and the couple have a 16-year-old daughter.
“But marital affairs had not been good for some time and there had been issues of infidelity, but not on his part.
“He suffers from a condition which causes a warping and curvature of the spine and is prescribed medication for this.
“Mr Buchan regrets seeking solace in the bottle and it was a very ill-conceived decision to get into the car. He was a part-time delivery driver, but because of this incident, he has now lost that job.”
Sheriff Gary Aitken said Buchan’s “very high” reading meant there was no alternative but to ban him from the road for a lengthy period.
He was disqualified from driving for 14 months and fined £600.
Buchan, whose address was given in court papers as Cowie Crescent, St Fergus, pleaded guilty to driving while over the prescribed limit.