Fife hospital worker drove after drinking eight cans of lager on way to Falkirk
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Donna Murdoch, of Myreside Avenue, Kennoway, appeared before Sheriff Eric Brown at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
Murdoch, 40, burst two tyres on her Mercedes A-Class as she drove along 100 yards of grass verge on the Standing Stane Road between Kirkcaldy and Leven.
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Hide AdMurdoch, who works as a housekeeper at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, admitted on August 28 this year she drove her car on the A915 after consuming so much alcohol the proportion of it in her breath was 86 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, exceeding the legal limit of 22 microgrammes.
The Procurator Fiscal Depute said: “At around 10.15pm, one of the witnesses driving on the road saw a silver Mercedes A-Class being driven by the accused in front of him.
“The accused was seen swerving on the road, crossing the central white line and mounting the grass verge.
“The accused was seen at one point driving along the grass verge for 100 yards. The witness continued driving behind the accused following her onto the roundabout and the accused continued swerving all over the road, almost colliding with parked vehicles.”
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Hide AdHe said the witness began flashing his lights in an attempt to get Murdoch to stop. She ended up stopping and the police were called.
The Procurator Fiscal continued: “When officers spoke to the accused they observed a strong smell of alcohol coming from her. She told the police ‘I know I’m a drink driver and I should not be drink driving’.
“She openly stated she had drunk eight cans of lager and had burst both her nearside tyres as a result of hitting the kerb. She said her intention was to drive to her mother’s house in Falkirk.”
Murdoch’s defence lawyer said his client had left home and got in the car after having an argument with her husband: “She was not thinking clearly, she just wanted to get out of the house. She was on her way to her mum’s – she knows she was not thinking straight.
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Hide Ad“She is a first offender and was very anxious about this court hearing. On the day of the offence she had been consuming alcohol throughout the day. She has sold her car and knows she faces a significant ban.”
He said his client was in a position to pay a fine and knows it is a serious offence.
Noting she was a first offender, Sheriff Brown told the accused the charge could have been more serious, as a result of the way she had been driving.
He said: “Driving in the manner described if you had hit another vehicle or a person causing death or serious injury, you could be facing a more serious charge and prison.”
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Hide AdHe disqualified her from driving for 16 months and fined her a total of £600. Sheriff Brown added if she successfully completes the Drink Drive Rehabilitation Course her disqualification period could be reduced by a quarter.