A prominent architect who turned to drink after being made redundant crashed his Porsche while more than six-and-a-half times the alcohol limit.
Harry Macklin had been on his way back from visiting his father in a nursing home when the incident happened.
The 60-year-old was giving off an “overpowering” stench of alcohol when he crashed his sports car near Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
Macklin now plans to sell the Porsche Boxster after being handed a four-figure fine and getting banned from driving.
Fiscal depute Sean Ambrose told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened around 4.20pm on August 8.
‘He had no business getting behind the wheel’
He said: “A witness was driving westbound on Westburn Drive near ARI and became aware of a car to her near side.
“The car passed her at speed and, as a result, there was a collision.”
Police were contacted and the witness got out of her car to check on Macklin, who had a cut to his nose.
The woman noticed he was “extremely unsteady on his feet” and was “swaying”.
On speaking to him she noted an “overpowering smell of alcohol”.
Police arrived five minutes later and, after failing a breath test, Macklin was arrested.
‘It’s an extremely old Porsche’
Macklin, of Bonnymuir Place, Aberdeen, pled guilty to driving with 145 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 22 microgrammes.
Mr Ambrose also made a Crown motion for the forfeiture of Macklin’s Porsche.
Defence agent Gregor Kelly opposed the forfeiture motion and said Macklin had been driving for 40 years and had only come to police attention once before when caught speeding aged 21.
He went on: “He accepts he had no business getting behind the wheel on the day in question.”
Mr Kelly explained Macklin, a “prominent architect” until he was made redundant six years ago, had had an “extremely difficult lockdown” and developed an alcohol problem.
The solicitor said: “He tells me he had a considerable amount to drink the evening before and on the day in question he’d been to visit his father in a nursing home in close proximity.
‘Your actions caused a collision’
“He thought he was fine to drive but, of course, he wasn’t and he had the accident on the way back.”
Regarding the vehicle, Mr Kelly said: “It’s a Porsche, but it’s worth £7,000. It’s an extremely old Porsche.”
He added that Macklin was seeking help for his alcohol issues and “apologises” to all concerned in the offence.
Sheriff Lesley Johnston said: “You were more than six times over the limit and I have to take that into account.
“Your actions caused a collision.”
She fined the former architect £1,040 and banned him from driving for 16 months, however, refused the motion for forfeiture.
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