Fife man was nearly seven times over the drink drive limit
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Craig Forbes, of Alder Terrace, appeared before Sheriff James Williamson at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
Forbes, 42, admitted that on October 25, 2020 on Riverside Road, Leven he was in charge of a car after consuming so much alcohol that the proportion of it in his breath was 147 micrograms. The legal limit is 22. He further admitted committing the offence while on bail.
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Hide AdThe Procurator Fiscal depute told the court: “The incident occurred at 3.45pm on the date in question. Witnesses saw a car at the side of the road with the arm of the driver sticking out the window. They saw a male slumped at the steering wheel and the engine was still running.
"Mr Forbes did not look well and so an ambulance was called. Witnesses could not get any information from Mr Forbes. A police vehicle approaching was flagged down by the witnesses and when officers were at the car they could smell alcohol coming from Mr Forbes. He had to be persuaded to leave the vehicle, he was holding on to the steering wheel. 147 micrograms of alcohol was found in his breath. He was cautioned and charged.”
Forbes’ defence agent said his client takes full responsibility for the incident and said Mr Forbes is still recovering from an injury sustained at Diageo in 2019.
He said: “He had been drinking alcohol in an attempt to numb the mental pain of what happened as it was an extremely traumatic incident for him. He knows he is extremely close to being given a custodial sentence and he has taken steps to remove himself from further offending.”
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Hide AdSheriff Williamson told the accused: “Mr Forbes there is only one thing that stops you from going to custody today and that is the impact of the event which happened at Diageo in 2019 and your resulting alcohol misuse. If it wasn’t for that, you would be going into custody.”
He sentenced him to a Community Payback Order placing him under supervision for two years and ordered him to take up the offer of counselling with a review in three months time. He also disqualified him from driving for 45 months.