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Drink-driver caught after police follow snowy footprints from abandoned car

Michael White lost control of his Vauxhall Mokka on the A93 near Ballater and ploughed into a snow drift.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court. Image: Wullie Marr/DC Thomson.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court. Image: Wullie Marr/DC Thomson.

A drink-driver who crashed and abandoned his car in the middle of the night was caught when police followed his snowy footprints into the woods.

Michael White, 44, lost control of his orange Vauxhall Mokka on the A93 near the entrance to Wester Micras, Crathie, and ploughed into a snow drift.

At 2am, police officers came across the abandoned vehicle with footprints in the snow leading off into a wooded area nearby.

Officers followed the trail until it stopped at a burn and searched the area until White was found close by.

‘Car left the road and went into the snow because of a puncture’

Fiscal depute Kirsty Martin told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened in the early hours of December 11.

She said the vehicle “appeared to have lost control on a bend and collided with a snow drift”.

After following the footprints in the snow and eventually finding White, he “would not say where he had been or why he’d abandoned the vehicle”.

However, later at 5.15am he formally confirmed he was the driver of the car and provided a positive breath sample for alcohol.

‘It was minus 17 degrees and he was seeking shelter’

White, of Ballater Road, Aboyne, pled guilty to driving with 31 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 22 microgrammes.

Defence agent Michael Burnett said although his client had two previous convictions for drink-driving, they were both a number of years ago.

He explained on the night in question White had been drinking with a friend and had planned to spend the night at her property.

However, there was a “falling out” and he instead decided to try to drive home, despite having been drinking.

Mr Burnett said: “His position is the car left the road and went into the snow because of a puncture.

“He left the vehicle because it was minus 17 degrees and he was seeking shelter.”

Sheriff Ian Wallace banned White from driving for four-and-a-half years and fined him £1,475.

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