A Macduff teenager was unfit to drive when he got behind the wheel of his black Ford car the morning after he’d taken drugs at a party.
Arran Gary Paterson was caught drug-driving by police officers who discovered the 19-year-old worse-for-wear and parked up in a layby on the A98 during the morning of June 23 2024.
Banff Sheriff Court heard Paterson’s speech was “slurred”, he was “unsteady on his feet” and was making “involuntary shaking movements”.
The teenager immediately admitted to the officers that he was under the influence of a synthetic stimulant Class B drug called mephedrone, commonly known as MCAT.
Appearing in the dock, Paterson pled guilty to a single charge of being unfit to drive a vehicle due to drugs.
Offender avoids fine because ‘he’s unemployed, lives with his parents and has no income’
He had previously failed to turn up for an earlier hearing of the case two weeks ago.
The prosecutor told the sheriff that Paterson first came to Police Scotland’s attention around 8.15am on the day of the incident.
Fiscal depute Ann Mann explained: “Officers were attending an unrelated incident and observed the accused driving the vehicle in the opposite direction prior to them observing him parked within a layby at the locus on the A98 near Macduff.
“Officers approached the accused and it was clear he was unsteady on his feet, his speech was slurred and he was making involuntary shaking movements.
“At this point, the accused openly stated that he had consumed MCAT.”
Roadside tests for alcohol, cannabis and cocaine intoxication were carried out with Paterson’s full co-operation.
However, the results of each test were negative and Paterson was then taken to a police station for an assessment that he failed.
A medical examiner “was of the opinion the accused was unfit to drive”, Ms Mann added.
Paterson was cautioned and charged, to which – the court heard – he replied: “I don’t know what to say.”
In court, Paterson’s solicitor Stuart Beveridge branded his client’s law-breaking “a foolish mistake” and urged the sheriff not to fine him.
“He’s currently unemployed and lives with his parents and has no income, so I wonder whether Your Lordship might consider the imposition of a community payback order as an alternative to a financial penalty.”
‘Morning after incident’ leads to driving ban and unpaid work
Mr Beveridge had earlier detailed the events leading up to what he called the first-time offender’s “morning after incident”.
The lawyer told the court: “He’d been, on the Saturday night, at a friend’s house and had consumed the drugs there.
“It’s the first time he’d ever taken MCAT. The plan was, he was supposed to be staying during the day on the Sunday with his friend … a situation arose whereby he had to leave.
“He didn’t feel right as he was driving and very sensibly pulled over and parked in the layby where the police found him, and when they approached him he immediately admitted he – in fact – was under the influence, and obviously that was confirmed by the medical examiner once he was taken to the police station.”
Sheriff Robert McDonald banned Paterson, of Bath Street in Macduff, from driving for one year.
He told Paterson: “I accept the explanation that has been given.”
The sheriff also imposed a community payback order requiring Paterson to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work within six months.
A discount of 20 hours was applied due to Paterson’s guilty plea.
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