A drink-driver who agreed to move her boyfriend’s car to avoid a £15 parking charge has been fined £640 instead.
Patricia McLaren had been drinking with her partner, who was staying at Leonardo Hotel near the airport ahead of going offshore.
But when he realised he would be charged £15 for parking there, he asked McLaren to help – and she foolishly agreed.
The 36-year-old drew attention to herself as she struggled to navigate an exit barrier at the car park and ended up failing a breath test and being arrested.
Airport police called
Fiscal depute Ann Mann told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened during the evening of April 17.
Witnesses spotted McLaren “seeming to struggle to navigate the exit barrier”.
Concerned, the witnesses contacted the airport police, who attended and carried out a breath test on McLaren.
She failed and was arrested.
McLaren, of Shetland Place, Kirkcaldy, pled guilty to driving with 107 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is just 22 microgrammes.
Defence agent Gregor Kelly said: “Her partner works in the oil industry in Aberdeen and was staying at an airport hotel.
“She’d taken a train up, met with him and spent an evening having drinks and a meal in the city centre.”
Driving ban
McLaren’s partner had parked in the hotel car park but hadn’t initially realised there was a £15 charge.
Mr Kelly said: “He asked my client to move the car out onto the road and it was in doing so she came to the attention of the authorities.”
The solicitor emphasised that his client only drove a short distance and “didn’t give thought to the fact she was over the legal limit”.
He added: “She realises she put herself and others in jeopardy.”
Sheriff Lesley Johnston told McLaren: “You made a serious error of judgment in agreeing to move the vehicle having consumed alcohol in the course of that evening.”
She fined her £640 and disqualified her from driving for a year.
