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Court / Man ‘guilty as charged’ after drink-driving incident

A NORTHERN Irishman who said he was “guilty as charged” to drink-driving on Sunday night has been banned from the road.

David Gerard Crawford, from Strabane, appeared from custody to plead guilty to driving while more than four times over the limit from the Mid Brae Inn on Sunday.

The 47-year old also admitted failing to stop when required to by police and driving while already disqualified.

Lerwick Sheriff Court heard that police had been tipped off that Crawford was drinking and driving in Brae on Sunday.

When they arrived at the Mid Brae Inn they found him getting into a Transit van, and they pursued him.

But when officers turned on the blue emergency lights to signal for Crawford to pull over, instead he carried on driving for a short distance before stopping in a driveway.

At that point he took off on foot, with officers catching him after a “short chase”.

He was taken to Lerwick Police Station and found to have 90 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath, more than four times the legal limit of 22 microgrammes.

Representing himself at court this afternoon (Monday), Crawford said he was “guilty as charged” when asked if he wanted to say anything about the incident.

The court heard he had a number of previous convictions, including a previous conviction in 2023 for driving while banned and for failing to provide a breath specimen, which he admitted.

Crawford said he was currently working in Shetland, and that his employment would not be affected by any driving ban.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank fined Crawford £800 for driving under the influence, and banned him from the road for three years.

He can reduce this by nine months, however, if he completes the drink-driver rehabilitation course.

Sheriff Cruickshank also fined him £500 for driving while banned, and admonished him for failing to stop when required to by police.

With the victim surcharge, Crawford’s total fine came to £1,375.

If you have been affected by crime, help is available. Whether you are victim, a witness, or the accused, you can find independent, impartial, and confidential support in Shetland.

For victims of general crime:

For anyone affected by crime & harm seeking a restorative approach:

For anyone affected by gender-based violence, including domestic abuse, coercive control, stalking, sexual assault, and rape:

Shetland Women’s Aid

Phone: 01595 692070
Web: https://www.shetlandwa.org
Email: office@shetlandwa.org

The Compass Centre (Shetland Rape Crisis)

Phone: 01595 744402 or 08088 010302
Web: https://www.compasscentre.org
Email: contact@compasscentre.org

For anyone affected by substance use:

Shetland Recovery Hub and Community Network

Phone: 01595 744402
Web: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100075791869200
Email: recoveryhub@shetland.gov.uk

Shetland Alcohol & Drug Partnership

Phone: 01595 743060 or 07342 077789
Web: https://shetlandadp.org.uk
Email: shet.sadp@nhs.scot

Substance Use Recovery Service

Phone: 01595 743006

 

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