A Moray businessman has been banned from the road after being caught driving while over the drink-drive limit.
Former hospitality boss Aaron McGettrick came to the attention of police as they saw his Ford Focus driving at speed on Elgin’s Meadow Crescent.
When pulled over at 1am on December 14 2020, the officers suspected McGettrick was under the influence and a breath test confirmed he was over the limit.
The 32-year-old later gave a reading at Elgin Police Station, which found he had 84mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, the legal limit being 50.
Representing himself in court the building boss and former manager at Dicey’s Bar said he had “ballsed up” by jumping behind the wheel after drinking alcohol.
Car initially stopped for speeding
Fiscal depute Victoria Silver told Elgin Sheriff Court that police officers “initially stopped the vehicle because it was noted to be driven at excess speed and that was their initial reason for wanting to speak to the driver”.
But they quickly suspected McGettrick had been drinking.
Representing himself in court, McGettrick said he’d been under stress at the time.
“There has been a bit of grieving in the family with two deaths in our family,” he said.
“My dad is pushing on a bit now too and has a couple of businesses in the town that I needed to help him to sell.
‘I was under a lot of stress’
“I was under a lot of stress. That’s why I made a balls-up and wound up here in court.”
He told Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov he currently relies on his licence for work but that he’d yesterday employed someone to drive for him going forward.
Outspoken in dock
In a parting remark to the sheriff, he said: “I can’t fault anything you have your honour, you have been very impartial and professional.”
Sheriff Pasportnikov replied: “I should think so. That’s my job, Mr McGettrick”.
He also used his time in the dock to ask that his appearance in court be “kept out of the papers”.
When the sheriff refused to consider placing a contempt of court order on the case he turned to press benches and told The Press and Journal reporter: “I don’t give you permission to use my data in the paper.”
GDPR legislation also includes a wide-ranging exemption for material used for “special purposes”, including journalism, in recognition of the public interest it serves.
McGettrick, of Academy Street, Elgin, was fined £790 and banned from the road for 18 months.
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