A joiner from Fraserburgh tried to outrun the police on foot after getting scared they were about to catch him drink-driving, a court has heard.
Paul Smyth had consumed alcohol on January 11 earlier this year when he came to the attention of officers carrying out patrols in the Cortes Crescent area of Fraserburgh.
But before they had a chance to signal for Smyth to stop his car, he jumped out and made off on foot.
When he was eventually collared, he was found to be more than two times over the legal limit.
‘He accepts full responsibility’
Fiscal depute Anne MacDonald told Peterhead Sheriff Court that police noticed Smyth’s vehicle, a white Fiat Fiorino, at about 10.45pm.
“The police were a bit suspect of this particular car,” she said.
“The accused got out, he started running away. The police hadn’t signalled to stop his car, so that made them even more suspect.”
Smyth would later return a reading of 49mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.
His defence agent, Marianne Milligan, said the 26-year-old would be able to pay a fine for the offence.
“He accepts full responsibility,” she said.
“He had been drinking, he saw the police and panicked.”
Dangers of drink-driving in the paper every day
Sentencing him, Sheriff Phillip Mann told Smyth he should be aware of how serious his crime was.
“I’m not going to lecture you on the dangers of drink-driving,” he said.
“You’ll see it every day when you open a newspaper.”
The sheriff ordered Smyth, whose address was given as Park Street, to pay a fine of £450.
He will also be banned from driving for 60 weeks, but is eligible to reduce that figure by one quarter should he complete a drink-drivers rehabilitation programme.