Music teacher fined and banned from road for drink driving

A music teacher who drove while nearly three times over the legal limit was fined £400 and banned when she appeared from custody at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Monday.

Lesley Stewart, 54, of Tornaugh, Whiteness, was stopped by police on the A971 at Whiteness at 11pm on Saturday due to the erratic manner of her driving. She was found to have 95 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Defence solicitor Tommy Allan said Stewart, who teaches music in three schools and has no previous convictions, was not coping after a personal tragedy and this had manifested itself in the offence.

Sheriff William Summers said it was impossible not to feel sympathy for Stewart, but being nearly three times over the limit was “inexcusable” as she was a danger to herself and to other drivers.

He fined Stewart and disqualified her for 20 months, to be reduced to 15 if she completes the drink drivers rehabilitation course.

Meanwhile, a man who drove several hundred yards while nearly three times over the limit also appeared from custody.

Clive McKintosh, 44, of The Meadows, Grangepark, Northampton, was stopped by police at 11.40pm on Friday in King Harald Street as he completed his journey to his guest house. He was found to have 93 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 35.

Defence solicitor Tommy Allan said that there had been “no good reason” for McKintosh to drive and it would be “catastrophic” for the family man, who carried out work all over the country, to lose his licence.

Sheriff William Summers said it was a “very serious offence”, although he took into account McKintosh’s good record and apology to the police, the court and his family.

Nevertheless he fined McKintosh £800 and disqualified him for 20 months, to be reduced by five months if he completes the drink driving rehabilitation course.