A drink-driving pensioner – who claims to have worked for British intelligence – got behind the wheel while more than double the alcohol limit to go and buy chicken slices for his dog.
Alexander West-Boyle was caught after being involved in a minor collision at Tesco in Hill of Banchory.
The 73-year-old described the decision to drive after drinking “a couple of whiskies” as “stupid”.
He told Aberdeen Sheriff Court he had jumped in his car after realising he had run out of chicken slices, which he used to wrap his Border Collie’s heart medication in.
Fiscal depute Victoria Kerr told the incident happened shortly after 3pm on December 1, when police attended a report of a collision at the Tesco store and discovered West-Boyle, who failed a breath test.
‘I’ve given up the car and the whisky’
West-Boyle, of Silverbank Gardens, Banchory, pled guilty to driving with 47 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 22 microgrammes.
The pensioner, who appeared representing himself without a solicitor, said: “At lunchtime, I had a couple of whiskies, which I shouldn’t have done.
“I’ve got an elderly Border Collie on heart tablets in order to keep her going.
“I have to buy chicken slices and wrap the tablets in that.
“I suddenly realised I’d run out of chicken slices so jumped in the car to go and get some.
“It was stupid of me.”
‘I worked for British intelligence all my life’
West-Boyle said he had taken the decision not to continue driving following the incident.
He said: “I’ve given up the car and the whisky. I don’t drink and don’t drive anymore.
“It was my own fault, I should have thought better. It was so stupid of me.
“I’m really upset. It will never, ever happen again.”
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin asked West-Boyle about his finances and if he could afford to pay a fine.
He replied that he received a pension, adding: “I worked for British intelligence all my life.
“There’s countries I can’t go to and things like that because of it.”
Sheriff McLaughlin ordered him to pay a fine totalling £520 and banned him from driving for a year.
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