Drink driver banned and fined

A MAN who drove with over three times the limit of alcohol in his blood was fined £630 and banned from driving for 16 months at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

Shane McNiff, whose address was given as Church Road, Lerwick, admitted the offence which took place in Commercial Road, Church Road and South Road in the town on 20 January.

Police had been tipped off that the 33 year old diver had been the worse for wear when behind the wheel of his car at 4.25am. They then saw him driving and parking while impaired.

He failed a roadside test and was found to have 174 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood when tested back at the station.

Tommy Allan, defending, said that McNiff considered his offence a “stupid moment of madness” and was deeply remorseful about his actions. He had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank said that it was “clearly a relatively high reading” given the current limit of 50 milligrames.

He said that McNiff had the opportunity to reduce his driving ban if he completed an alcohol awareness course.