News / Disqualifications for two drink drivers
TWO men discovered to have broken the drink driving limit after being stopped by police have each been banned from the road for a year after appearing at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.
Ryan Farren, of Tarland, Sandwick, admitted driving with 65 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath on Lerwick’s North Road on 23 April. The legal limit is 22 micogrammes.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said police smelled alcohol on the 23 year old’s breath after they stopped him in relation to another road traffic matter.
He failed a roadside screening test and was arrested before being taken to Lerwick Police Station where a further test was conducted.
Farren also admitted driving without insurance on the same date and at the same location.
Defence agent Tommy Allan said his client had drinks that night and went home, but he was phoned up by a friend who was unable to get a taxi.
He said the apprentice plumber decided to get in the vehicle to collect his friend before police stopped him on a headlight issue.
Sheriff Philip Mann was given an “excellent character reference” from Farren’s employer and he said it was “such a shame” that he decided to get behind the wheel.
The 23 year old’s one-year ban may be reduced by three months if he completes a drink-driver rehab course.
Farren was also fined a total of £600 for the offences.
Mike Ampleford from Lerwick was also banned for one year and fined £500 after he admitted driving while over the limit the day after a night out.
The 51 year old, of Haldane Burgess Crescent, pled guilty to driving with 59 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath on Lerwick’s Commercial Street on 5 May.
Mackenzie said police stopped Ampleford relating to a minor road traffic matter at around 1.45pm before they detected a smell of alcohol. He failed a roadside test and was taken to the police station where further procedures were carried out.
Defence agent Allan said his client had gone to bed at around midnight after having some drinks and didn’t realise he would still be over the limit the next day.
He said Ampleford was “shocked and humiliated” to discover that he had broken the law.
Sheriff Philip Mann said the offence “demonstrated how very careful people have to be if they were drinking the night before” and rued that incidents like these happen “depressingly regularly”.
Ampleford can reduce his ban by three months if he completes a drink-driver rehab course.
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