Four year ban for crazed driving

AN UNEMPLOYED labourer who sped through Lerwick without headlights while off his face and was aggressive with the police has been banned from driving for four years.

At Lerwick Sheriff Court on Thursday, 32 year old William Forrester, of 3 Alexander Street, East Wemyss, admitted driving while unfit through drink or drugs on 19 July last year.

He also pled guilty to refusing to be breathalysed and breaching the peace at the town’s Market Street police station.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie told the court that police on patrol pulled Forrester over at around 1.30am after seeing him driving too fast along Commercial Road without his headlights on.

He was arrested after failing a breathalyser test, but once he was in the police car he started flailing his arms and legs and at the police station he kept up a steady stream of shouting and swearing.

When officers tried to breathalyse him again, Forrester refused and simply put his hands over his ears, stamped his feet and carried on shouting.

Advertisement1 of 10

Defence agent Tommy Allan said his client had been out drinking and had no memory of the night, though his friends had later said he had been in “a strange mood”.

Allan explained that at the time Forrester had just started taking medication for depression and wondered whether his lack of memory could have resulted from the drugs reacting badly with the alcohol.

However Sheriff Philip Mann said Forrester must pay for putting public safety at risk, fining him £400 on top of the four year ban.

He also ordered his £400 car to be forfeited.