Drugged-up driver was over the limit four days after taking cocaine

By Kathryn Wylie

July 19 2022, 6:00 am

Scott Mutch appeared at Abedeen Sheriff Court.

A drugged-up driver found looking “nervous” and with “blurry eyes” while over the limit claimed he’d not taken cocaine in four days.

When Scott Mutch was pulled over on Craigs Road in Ellon on May 27 last year, officers noted he appeared “nervous” and with “blurry eyes”.

The 37-year-old was in fact one and a half times over the drug-drive limit in relation to the breakdown compound of cocaine in his system at just before 10am.

But Mutch claimed that it had been four days since he’d taken the Class A drug and he, therefore, felt he was safe to drive.

Pulled over for speeding

Fiscal depute Tom Procter said: “Police were on mobile patrol when the accused’s vehicle was stopped in relation to another unrelated matter.

“The accused was observed to be driving and officers observed him to have blurry eyes and appear to be nervous.

“As such, a drug test procedure was undertaken which proved positive.”

Mutch admitted a charge of drug driving when the amount of Benzoylecgonine, the breakdown compound of cocaine, in his blood was 75 microgrammes per litre, the legal limit being 50 microgrammes.

‘Had taken cocaine four days before’

Defence agent Chris Maitland told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “Speeding was the unrelated matter, that’s why he was stopped by police and that alone would have been reason enough for the police to carry out the drug-drive procedures.

“He had taken cocaine before. He is saying it was four days before, at the weekend. He felt by the time he was driving a few days later that he was absolutely fine.

“He is someone who had a drug problem in the past, he has mostly gotten over that but I appreciate at the time of this offence he had taken drugs at the weekend.”