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Three-times-the-limit Highland drink-driver hit motorcycle with works van

Richard Matheson had been drinking when he failed to give way at a junction and knocked a man from his motorcycle, Inverness Sheriff Court heard.

Richard Matheson admitted careless and drink-driving at Inverness Sheriff Court. Image DC Thomson.
Richard Matheson admitted careless and drink-driving at Inverness Sheriff Court. Image DC Thomson.

A driver was more than three times the drink-drive limit when he hit a motorcyclist and knocked him off his bike, a court has heard.

Richard Matheson was driving a works van when he failed to stop at a junction and collided with the motorcycle.

A subsequent test revealed his breath alcohol level to be 74 microgrammes per 100 mililitres – the legal limit being 22 microgrammes.

Matheson, 41, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court to admit charges of drink-driving and careless driving.

Fiscal depute Sophie Marshall told the court that it was around 2pm on July 28 last year when the crash occurred.

She said a witness spotted Matheson’s red Dingbro van failing to give way at a junction on St Margaret’s Road, Inverness.

Biker suffered bruising

“It collided with a motorbike, causing him to fall to the ground with the motorbike on top of his leg,” Ms Marshall told Sheriff Gary Aitken.

Police were called to the scene and Matheson identified himself as the driver of the van.

He was subsequently breathalysed and found to have 74 microgrammes of alcohol per 100mls of breath – more than three times the legal limit of 22 microgrammes.

The court heard that the biker was taken to hospital, where a suspected fracture was ruled out, and he was found to have suffered only bruising.

Solicitor Graham Mann said his client had stayed with the motorcyclist following the collision.

Mr Mann said: “He acknowledges that the court will be looking at this as a very serious incident.”

Van driver disqualified

Sheriff Aitken said: “It goes without saying that you had no business being at your work when you were that drunk, never mind being behind the wheel of one of their vans. It is fortunate that the accident wasn’t worse.”

He placed Matheson, of Mannsfield Place, Avoch, on a community payback order with 18 months of supervision and 150 hours of unpaid work in the community.

He also disqualifed him from driving for 15 months.