Drink driver who lost control of car banned from the road and fined

A drink driver whose car veered off the road at the Levenwick junction has been banned from driving for 18 months and fined £600.

Stephen McClelland, 25, of Colonial Place, Scatness, ended up spending the weekend in the cells after his Citroën Xsara crashed through a fence and went down an embankment on Friday evening.  

Police carried out a roadside test on him after smelling alcohol, and he was found to have 79 microgrammes of drink in his system.

McClelland appeared from custody in front of honorary Sheriff Eric Peterson today and admitted driving at over twice the legal limit of 35 microgrammes.

Procurator fiscal Kathryn Gordon said it was worrying that McClelland had been willing to get behind the wheel, despite the dangers of drink driving being well publicised.

She added it was fortunate McClelland was the only occupant in the car, and that no-one was hurt in the crash.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said McClelland, who works as a driver, had been drinking after work. He was hopeful not to lose his job as a result of the incident. McClelland was aware he was lucky not to have been hurt.

The court heard the car had been worth £1,000, although it is now expected to be a write-off. McClelland will also have to stump up the cost of repair to a fence, which was damaged in the accident.

“As someone who without any social enquiry report or any history of this kind of offending, Mr McClelland has spent, for him, a considerable time in custody, and that is time he has had to reflect on his wrong-doing. I would ask that you take that into account in dealing with any potential financial penalty that might be imposed,” said Mr Allan.

Honorary Sheriff Peterson reduced the fine from £1,000 to reflect the early guilty plea.  

The disqualification can also be reduced by four months if he completes the rehabilitation scheme.