Justice in Moray: Joiner gets ban for homecoming binge
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A joiner has been banned from driving after he went on a three-day drinking binge to celebrate his return to Scotland.
Neil Robertson began boozing after returning on March 6 following 22 years of working in Holland.
Once the 55-year-old stopped drinking, he thought he was okay to drive along the A96 and A98 towards Buckie.
However police were tipped off by concerned members of the public about his erratic driving on March 10 this year and he was stopped.
A breath test revealed he was six-and-a half times the legal limit with a reading of 143mcgs of alcohol, when the limit is 22mcgs.
Robertson appeared for sentence at Inverness Sheriff Court today and admitted driving with excess alcohol.
Defence solicitor Clare Russell said: "He had been drinking solidly since returning from Holland and stopped at 10pm the night before this offence. He was shocked how high the reading was."
Sheriff Sara Matheson said the offence met the threshold for custody but she stopped short of jailing him.
Sheriff Matheson said: "This is one of the highest readings I have seen. You presented a considerable risk to yourself and others. But I will deal with it by a community payback order."
Robertson was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work for the community.
He was also placed under the supervision of social workers for the next three years and banned from driving for the same period.
In addition, Sheriff Matheson confiscated Robertson's Dutch registered car, which is valued at £500.
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