North-east drink-driver caught after driving 500 yards to the shop

A drink-driver caught more than three times the legal limit was driving 500 yards to the shop, a court heard.

Thomas Davidson, 67, was pulled over by police on Provost Davidson Drive in Ellon around 7.20pm on May 22.

Depute fiscal Gavin Letford told the court police took action and stopped Davidson after a member of the public had expressed concern over the manner of his driving.

Davidson, of Hillhead Road, Ellon, pled guilty to driving with 68 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 22 microgrammes.

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Defence agent Shane Campbell said: “He had consumed some alcohol in the afternoon

“He had simply been popping out, as it were, to obtain some groceries and he tells me the distance is no more than 500 yards.

“He hadn’t clearly appreciated that he would have been so far over the legal limit.”

Sheriff Ian Wallace banned him from driving for two years and fined him £800.