Court / Three-year ban for drink driving

A MAN who drove while nearly six times the alcohol limit has been banned from the road for three years.

John Johnson, of East Voe, Scalloway, was also placed under supervision for 15 months and given 135 hours of unpaid work.

The 47-year-old appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday for sentencing after previously admitting the charge.

It states that the offence was carried out at Undirhoull in East Voe on 22 October, with Johnson driving a van whilst having 131 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The limit is 22 microgrammes.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said his client had a history of alcohol difficulty and has been obtaining appropriate support.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank’s sentence reflected that Johnson had a similar previous conviction.

A MAN from Fetlar who was found unconscious in a car which had left the road has had his sentence for drink driving deferred.

Peter Coutts, 68, admitted driving a car with 208 milligrammes of alcohol in 100ml of urine on the island on 17 February last year. The legal limit is 67 milligrammes.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said Coutts had been driving home after having a “considerable amount” of alcohol.

His vehicle was seen at 8pm but a dog walker later saw it off the road at around 10.30pm, with Coutts unconscious inside.

Due to the time for police to arrive in Fetlar the urine sample was only taken at 7am the next day.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank deferred sentencing until 15 February to allow for Coutts to appear in person.