A drink-driver who sparked a manhunt in Moray was eventually traced by police after he called them to say he had crashed.
Michael Hay, from Elgin, was caught nearly four times the alcohol limit on December 8 last year – his second drink-driving offence.
Yesterday the 29-year-old was banned from driving for 40 months at Elgin Sheriff Court after he pleaded guilty to the single charge.
Fiscal Alex Swain explained police received a call at about 2.40am from a resident concerned that Hay might be driving while drunk.
After about 40 minutes of searching the Lesmurdie area of Elgin officers had still not managed to trace the father-of-two.
However, police then received a phone call at about 3.20am from Hay himself to report that he had crashed his friend’s Audi A4.
Miss Swain said: “The accused stated to police that he was drunk and was unsure whether to phone them or not.
“Officers attended at 3.35am and traced the silver Audi with extensive damage to the front.”
Hay was later found by officers drinking a can of cider in a house and confirmed to officers that he had been driving.
Breath tests done at the police station later found he had 81microgrammes of alcohol in 100millitlitres of breath – the legal limit is 22mcg.
Defence solicitor Ben Thom accepted that his client’s behaviour on the night had been “foolish”.
He added: “He acknowledges his behaviour and shows remorse around the actual consequences but also about the possible consequences, which certainly could have been worse.
“He is aware it is his second drink driving offence, the previous one from some time ago in 2011, and is aware of the implications that will have on his disqualification.”
Sheriff Robert MacDonald explained that he was not able to impose a fine for the offence due to the potential value of it being “unrealistic” for Hay to pay.
He added: “The level of alcohol is not insignificant. As I’m sure you’re aware you are not just a little bit over the limit, you are quite a bit over the limit.”
Hay, of Councillors Walk in Elgin, was banned from driving for 40 months, was ordered to do 120 hours of unpaid work and was placed under supervision for one year after pleading guilty to drink driving on Pitgaveny Road.