An offshore worker who drank alcohol and then drove to the shops for food has been banned from the road after failing to provide breath samples to police.
Kenneth Lowe was on the first day of a holiday off work and had started drinking before making the decision to drive to the shop.
And when police tried to breathalyse the 65-year-old he failed to provide a sample both at the roadside and at the police station.
Lowe, whose address was given in court papers as Great Northern Road in Aberdeen, pled guilty to two charges over the matter, which happened on December 7.
He admitted failing, without reasonable excuse, to provide a roadside breath sample when required by police on Auchmill Road in Bucksburn, and he further admitted failing to provide two specimens of breath at Kittybrewster police station.
Defence agent Ian Woodward-Nutt, who appeared representing Lowe, said his client had not refused to co-operate, and had attempted to provide samples but failed.
The solicitor said: “He’s 65-years-old and has never been in any trouble before. He is deeply embarrassed about having committed this offence and to find himself, for the first time in his life at this stage in his life, before the court.
“He tells me he’s been driving since he was around 18 years of age. He works offshore as a machinist.
“This day was the first day of an extended holiday period.
“He had taken alcohol. He’d not accustomed to drinking alcohol but he drank on the day in question.
“For reasons he can’t explain he decided to leave his flat to drive a short distance to buy food.
“The police quite properly required him to provide specimens. He tried on both occasions but failed.”
Sheriff Raymond McMenamin said: “I take into account at your age you haven’t been in any trouble before.”
He fined Lowe a total of £640 and banned him from driving for 12 months.
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