A DRINK driver blamed the recent “cold snap” for getting behind the wheel and motoring 300 yards to a chip shop.
A court heard that building maintenance supervisor John King was working late on November 27 when he had two glasses of wine.
King, 33, from Edinburgh, decided at 11.45pm to drive to a chip shop just a fifth of a mile away.
But he was spotted by a police officer who noticed that the car’s lights were not on.
Fiscal depute Dev Kapadia said: “The patrol car followed him, trying to alert him, and approached the vehicle when he stopped on Peffer Street.
“It was then the officer smelled alcohol on King’s breath, and asked him to take a breath test – which showed he had 82 microgrammes of alcohol to 100 millilitres of breath.
“The legal limit is 35mg.”
Today (Thur) at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, King pled guilty to driving after consuming so much alcohol he was over the limit.
Defence solicitor Edward Hulme said: “You will notice the date of the incident is soon after the cold snap started.
“This is the only reason Mr King decided to drive the short distance to the chip shop.
“He had no idea he was so far over the limit.
“He had been working late and had drunk two glasses of wine.
“He did not notice his lights weren’t on because of the well-lit area in which he was driving.
“Mr King accepts what he did was wrong and that he was over the limit, but I should point out that there is no report of him driving recklessly.
“He needs his car for his job to go between properties.”
Sheriff Alistair Noble said: “Because it was a relatively high level of alcohol recorded in your system I am going to disqualify you from holding or obtaining a licence for 15 months.
“I am also sentencing you to a fine of £200 – which would have been £300 if you had not pled guilty at the earliest opportunity.”
