An offshore oil worker who drove his wife’s car home and crashed into a neighbour’s truck was fined a total of £750 and banned from driving for 16 months.
Scott Murphy of St Andrew’s Road, Dingwall, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday and admitted driving with excess alcohol, driving with no insurance and driving carelessly in his home street on February 1.
Fiscal depute Michelle Molley told Sheriff Margaret Neilson that 32-year-old Murphy was seen heading home in his wife’s Kia Sportage and collided with the rear of a truck.
“The collision was overheard by the truck owner who went to Murphy’s home and spoke to him. He formed the opinion that Murphy was under the influence of alcohol and contacted the police.”
Ms Molley added that a check by police revealed that Murphy was not insured to drive his spouse’s vehicle.
The court was told that when breathalysed, Murphy was four times the legal limit. He told police on being charged: “Alcohol was consumed after I got home. I have never driven a car whilst under the influence of alcohol.”
Defence solicitor Euan Robertson said that his client had paid the £300 cost of damage to his neighbour’s truck.
Mr Robertson added; “He had two or three bottles of beer before driving home and then drank some more before the police arrived.”