A dangerous drink-driver who was caught at four-times the limit claimed he did it because he was rescuing workmates from a fight.
Lee Cunningham had multiple colleagues in his white Volkswagen Transporter when he drove through Buckie in the dark with no lights on and collided with other cars.
A concerned taxi driver tailed him as he sped along South Land Street, Elsley Place, Netherha Road and Letterfowlie Road while under the influence, mounting the grass verge, Elgin Sheriff Court was told.
Fiscal depute Emma Peterson previously told the court how the vehicle was seen pulling out of West Church Street at around 8pm on February 1 2020 moments after Cunningham, 33, left Sandisons Bar on East Church Street.
He was then seen driving at speeds of 40mph through the town colliding with a parked purple Vauxhall on West Church Street and an oncoming silver Ford on South Bridge Street.
He caused damage to the first car and both “extreme damage” and “serious injury” to the second vehicle and its driver.
Crashed twice and mounted grass
“The taxi driver witnesses this and continued to follow him as the van travelled at around 40mph still without its lights on,” Miss Petersen added.
“He travelled along the grass for a spell before returning to the road and continuing on to Elsley Place in Buckie where he was lost to view.”
Police later traced Cunningham and the vehicle to Braeview Road, where he gave a breathalyser reading that was four times the legal limit.
He admitted driving dangerously and with 93mcg of alcohol per litre of blood, the legal limit being 22.
His defence agent said Cunningham could not remember driving the van but that there were work colleagues with him and there was supposed to be a fight happening, so he’d put them in the vehicle to drive them away from the incident.
Following the preparation of background reports, solicitor Iain Maltman told the court that the father-of-three knew how serious a matter it was given his poor driving record and multiple previous disqualifications.
Saving pals from fight was no excuse
“There’s an explanation regarding him fleeing violence but that’s not a good explanation for him having driven on this occasion,” he said.
The court heard Cunningham, already banned from the road until 2026, has “shaken himself” since being in an induced coma for one month with septicemia and is no longer drinking or misusing drugs.
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood banned Cunningham from driving for five years and eight months and handed him 250 hours of unpaid work and a six-month nighttime curfew.
He also deemed he must sit an extended driving test to regain his licence.
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