A drunk motorist who drove at 100mph before crashing 60 feet down a loch-side embankment had been banned from driving just a month earlier.
But Brodie Ferguson, 23, avoided a jail sentence yesterday after his lawyer told Inverness Sheriff Court his client “had pulled himself together after the death of his grandfather.”
Last month, Ferguson, of Laggan Road, Inverness, admitting driving on Inverness streets and the A82 between Inverness and Urquhart Castle on February 23 last year while disqualified and over the limit.
Just five weeks before on January 21 last year, he admitted committing his first drink driving offence and was banned from the road.
Sheriff Margaret Neilson decided against jailing Ferguson after hearing his lawyer Duncan Henderson – but banned him from driving for three years imposed 249 hours of unpaid work as an alternative to custody and fined him £600.
Mr Henderon said: “At the time, his life has hit rock bottom following his grandfather’s death. He was getting into trouble with the police but this is his last outstanding case.
“He sought assistance from New Craigs Hospital and has now pulled himself together. He has managed to keep his job and is back in his relationship with his girlfriend.”
At the earlier hearing in December, the court heard that police were concerned about his safety having received a report that he was a drunk driver.
Public appeals were issued to trace him and a coastguard helicopter, the Loch Ness lifeboat, police officers and the dog section were all alerted to conduct an overnight search for Ferguson.
The court was told that a lorry driver had to stop quickly when Ferguson emerged from bushes, covered in blood about 11.55pm.
Fiscal depute Robert Weir said: “He told the driver he had fallen out with his girlfriend and drove at 100mph and crashed his car.
“Before that at 11.30pm, police had a report that he had left a property in Inverness intoxicated and drove away along the A82.
“About 1.30am police were looking for him as there were concerns for his safety. They were joined the the coastguard helicopter which located his white Vauxhall Astra car 60 feet down an embankment one mile south of Urquhart Castle.
“This was about 3.30am. About 0410am, police officers saw him in Invermoriston, bleeding from his head and hands and arrested him.
“He was taken to hospital in Inverness where a blood sample was taken at 0728am which showed a reading of 74mgs of alcohol.” Mr Weir added.
The legal limit is 50mgs.