Drink driving skipper set sail after crashing crewmate’s car

A fisherman who crashed a crewmate’s car after an afternoon drinking and then made off in a boat has been handed a 16-month ban.

David Gatt, 35, from Whitehills, Banff, was also fined £1,350 after admitting driving while unfit through drink at Lerwick Sheriff Court today (Thursday).

The court heard Gatt, who was the skipper of a fishing vessel, had been drinking with his crew in Scalloway on 20th February after landing their catch.

After an afternoon in the pub, Gatt got behind the wheel of a car belonging to a younger crew-mate who accompanied him as a passenger.

Procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie said that while Gatt may have thought he was able to drive he was clearly impaired. Mr MacKenzie said the car left New Road a short distance from where they had been drinking, crashed through a fence, went down an embankment and ended up in a field.

The fiscal said it was “fortunate no one was injured”.

While Gatt may have previously considered himself capable of driving, Mr MacKenzie said that “changed quite quickly” after the crash and he returned to his fishing vessel to leave Scalloway behind.

As a result, police were unable to carry out the usual tests or procedures to determine whether he had been drinking.

Defence agent Michael Burnett said his client acknowledged he had been consuming alcohol.

Although he may have initially though he was fit to drive, Mr Burnett said it was a decision “he now accepts he got badly wrong”.

Mr Burnett said Gatt had taken a wrong turn and crashed because he was unfamiliar with the road.

He said his client had not been trying to evade the police – “the police were simply not there”.

After being contacted by police, Mr Burnett said his client co-operated fully. Sheriff David Harvie said Gatt had been “extraordinarily foolish”.

“You are very fortunate that both yourself and the passenger were able to walk away from the vehicle.” he added.

He banned Gatt from driving for 16 months and fined him £1,350.

Gatt can have his ban reduced by a quarter if he completes a driver rehabilitation course.