News / Man drove while three times over limit
A FORTY TWO year old man who was caught driving while three times over the legal alcohol limit has been disqualified for 20 months.
Mark Odie, of St Sunniva Street, Lerwick, pleaded guilty to the offence, which took place on the town’s Scalloway Road at 2.10am on Sunday, when he appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Monday afternoon.
Police had spotted the vehicle he was driving parked outside one of the town’s pubs for several hours on Saturday evening before catching Odie driving home after closing time.
Defence agent Tommy Allan said his client, a fish worker, “clearly knows he shouldn’t be driving in that state”.
He said Odie, who had spent the night in custody, had admitted he was in the wrong at an early stage and was prepared to take a drink driving rehabilitation course.
Sheriff Philip Mann said that Odie must have been “fairly intoxicated” to give a sample three times over the limit.
He reduced the period of disqualification from 30 to 20 months to reflect the early plea, and offered Odie the chance to reduce the ban by a further five months if he successfully completes a rehab course. Odie was also fined £600, reduced from £900.
• Meanwhile 21 year old Trevor Couper, of Cairnfield Road, Lerwick, has denied assaulting a woman and will go to trial on 15 October.
Couper is accused of committing the offence at an address in the town’s Sandveien on Sunday by repeatedly punching the woman on the body.
He was granted bail with the special conditions stipulating that he must not approach the alleged victim or be under the influence of alcohol in a public place.
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