Drink driver ‘beyond stupid’

A WOMAN has been banned from the road for a year after driving 40 miles from remote Northmavine to Lerwick Police Station while under the influence in order to find out why her son had been arrested.

Christine Harrison-Ames, of Seaview Cottage, North Roe, pleaded guilty to driving with 125 milligrammes of alcohol in 100ml of blood on 28 August last year. The legal limit is 50 milligrammes.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie described Harrison-Ames’ conduct as “beyond stupid”.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said that she had drunk alcohol with “no expectation of going anywhere”. But she learned that her son, who has Asperger’s syndrome, had been arrested.

After speaking to police the 59-year old was concerned that they weren’t listening and she did “probably the last thing she should’ve done and drove to the police station”.

Allan described it as a “serious miscalculation on her part” at a time when she was frustrated and worried about whether officers were taking his special requirements into account.

Sheriff Philip Mann told Harrison-Ames it was a “really stupid thing to do” and he had no option but to disqualify her for the minimum 12-month period. She was also fined £500.

She can get a three-month discount on her disqualification by successfully completing a drink-driving rehabilitation course.