Over-the-limit milk driver fined £400 and banned for year

A milk tanker driver who drove while more than twice the legal alcohol limit appeared from custody at Lerwick Sheriff Court today.

The court heard that James Saunderson, 60, of Mounthooly Place, Lerwick, was stopped by police at 4am yesterday morning due to the manner of driving his car on Holmsgarth Road in Lerwick. He failed a roadside test, was arrested and taken to the police station. He had 76 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath and the legal limit is 35.

Defence solicitor Tommy Allan said Saunderson had been drinking in his garden on Sunday afternoon. As it was a sunny day he had kept drinking until 8.30pm, which he later realised was a mistake as he was due to start work at 4am. He did not keep track of the amount of alcohol he had consumed and was now worried he would lose his job.

Sheriff Philip Mann limited Saunderson’s disqualification to 12 months because he was a first offender and had pleaded guilty at an early stage. This could be reduced to nine months if Sandison successfully completes an alcohol rehabilitation course.

The sheriff also imposed a fine of £400, to be paid at £50 per month.