News / Tall Ships trouble for drunken sailor
A SHETLAND joiner who took his small boat out while drunk to take a closer look at the Tall Ships during their summer visit to Lerwick this year was ordered to carry out unpaid work at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.
Gordon More, of 169 Sandveien, Lerwick, admitted being almost two and a half times the legal limit for alcohol when he steered the vessel through the harbour during the early hours of 21 July.
The court heard the 28 year old father of two had been out drinking after his employers had “clued up” for the visit of the Tall Ships Race.
He was arrested with a bottle of beer in his hand and no lifejacket on as he brought the boat into Hay’s Dock shortly after 3am after the port authority alerted police that a boat was moving around Lerwick harbour without a light.
Defence agent Tommy Allan said the sea had been flat calm at the time and that More had co-operated fully with the police. He said he deeply regretted his actions and should have known better, and has since given up his share in the boat.
Sheriff Graeme Napier said he would have imposed a substantial fine, but as he was not in a position to pay it he ordered him to carry out 100 hours unpaid work over the next six months.
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