A 53-year-old Dingwall man avoided a jail sentence yesterday after admitting his fourth drink driving related offence in the last 14 years.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard yesterday that former self employed builder Andrew Steele of Mackay Square had twice refused to give police a breath test within a week.
The court was told that the first offence occurred when police were called to the Tesco car park on August 2.
His lawyer, Aileen MacInnes said his client claimed he was under the limit and had only one glass of wine. She said he thought he had reacted to some medication he had taken on top of the alcohol.
The second was when officers found him slumped over the steering wheel of his car on the B9163 between Corntown and Arcaig on August 8.
Fiscal depute Fiona Murray said Steele told police that he had been sleeping there for six hours, had thrown the car keys away and was not in charge of the car.
Mrs Macinnes added that her client had been to tend to family graves, stopped his car and began drinking as there were other personal issues he was dealing with.
“He had not been drinking before he got there and is seeking help with his problems. He knows he is in a difficult position because of an earlier offence 14 years ago and another far more recent.” she said.
Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald ordered Steele to carry out 160 hours of unpaid community work as an alternative to prison, placed him under social work supervision for two years and banned him from driving for three years.