Drink driver told he faces prison

A MAN who drove while almost five times over the alcohol limit was warned he faced a possible custodial sentence when he appeared in the dock on Monday.

Raymond Stephen Tulloch, 47, of Bressay, admitted driving in the early hours of Sunday morning with 172 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath when he stood before Sheriff Graeme Napier at Lerwick Sheriff Court – the legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said Tulloch was caught shortly after 2am by police following an anonymous telephone call.

“He provided a positive breath sample at the roadside and was arrested,” he said.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said Tulloch had “had difficulty” with alcohol.

But Sheriff Napier said he would have to call for reports, given the severity of the reading.

He told Tulloch: “I’ve just done the calculations and you were effectively five times the limit. It’s just unbelievable.

“I will have to call for a social enquiry report because at that level you face a custodial sentence.”

He deferred sentence until 30th July, and released Tulloch on bail disqualifying him from driving in the meantime.