A dangerous driver spotted swerving into the oncoming lane on the A9 was more than five times the drink-drive limit.
David Easton had travelled from Birmingham and was driving “extremely erratically” on the A9 by Lynwilg on Saturday February 1.
A police witness following Eastman believed there would be a head-on crash as a result of his driving – which a sheriff branded “grotesquely horrifying”.
Easton, 53, appeared from custody at Inverness Sheriff Court to admit charges of dangerous driving, drink-driving and driving without insurance.
Fiscal depute Shay Treanor told the court that it was around 5.45pm when a police witness on mobile patrol noticed the Citroen being driven by Eastman.
‘Extremely erratic’ A9 drink-driver
He said: “The police witness was travelling north on the A9 and observed a vehicle being driven in what he described as an ‘extremely erratic’ manner.”
The court heard that the driver was “struggling to keep to the margins of the lane” to such an extent that the police officer feared there would be a head-on collision.
The officer contacted colleagues from the roads police unit and followed the Citroen onto the dual carriageway, where other vehicles began to overtake.
“The police witness observed the vehicle being driven so erratically it almost side-swiped vehicles as they passed,” Mr Treanor told Sheriff Sara Matheson.
When the roads policing officers caught up they saw the Citroen cross into the other lane.
Driver’s ‘slurred speech’ and ‘glazed eyes’
Eastman was stopped in a layby and found to have a female passenger in the front seat.
Officers noted that he had “slurred speech” and “glazed eyes”.
A systems check revealed that he was not insured to drive the vehicle.
He was taken to the police station where a test showed his breath alcohol level to be 129 microgrammes per 100 millilitres of breath – more than five times the legal limit of 22 microgrammes.
Solicitor Patrick O’Dea, for Eastman, confirmed that his client had travelled to the area from Birmingham on the day in question.
He said his client had been drinking the night before and had been asked to do a friend a “favour” by driving the vehicle.
But Sheriff Sara Matheson questioned this explanation saying: “Drinking the night before? It is 5.45pm and he is more than five times over the limit?”
Mr O’Dea replied: “He definitely has an issue with alcohol.”
He added: “Clearly the reading is high – he accepts that,” but asked the sheriff to consider releasing Eastman on bail until sentencing.
Sheriff Matheson called for presentencing reports and refused this request, telling Eastman, of Arthur Road, Lozells, that this was due to “the grotesquely horrifying nature of your dangerous and drink-driving”.
The case will call again next month.