Teen took dad’s car on drunken joyride with missing tyre
A teen took her father’s car on a drunken joyride through snow and ice with a missing tyre.
The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted five driving offences when she appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court today (Thursday).
Procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie said the teen took the car without consent when her parents were away and “basically went for a joyride with a friend”.
Setting off from her home in Brae on 2nd January, the teen first came to the attention of other motorists when approaching Leask’s garage in Lerwick at around 8.50pm.
The other driver saw the accused’s car “weaving back and forth all over the road”, Mr MacKenzie said.
“The following motorist immediately formed the impression the driver was drunk,” he added.
“As she got closer to the accused’s vehicle she could hear the sound of metal on the road and saw sparks coming from the wheel.”
Mr MacKenzie said it became obvious a tyre had come off and the car was driving on its wheel rim.
The fiscal said the accused continued into town, mounted a kerb and went round the Co-op roundabout with debris flying off the car.
Members of the public were “looking on in absolute horror at what was happening in front of them”, he added.
The following motorist pulled over at Bolts and drove to the police station to report her concerns.
“She could not emphasise enough just how bad the driving was that she had witnessed,” Mr MacKenzie said.
Next, the teen’s car caught the attention of young people in another car who knew her.
Seeing sparks coming off the car, they pulled over to ask if she needed help, the court heard.
At that point, the fiscal said, she was heard saying it was only her second time driving and she hadn’t realised the tyre was missing.
She got back in the car, tried to start the vehicle.
One of the witnesses realised she was drunk and called 999.
The young people in the other car were so concerned, they followed her out of Lerwick where she was seen continuing to drive in the same “erratic manner”.
She eventually crashed into a ditch, just south of Catfirth.
The police officers who had been alerted to her driving found her there soon after, standing at the side of the car.
Mr MacKenzie said the teen “seemed to think it was funny” and officers were concerned by her “blasé attitude”.
By now she had travelled from Brae to Lerwick and half the way back in snowy and icy conditions.
She gave a reading 36 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 22.
Defence agent Tommy Allan said his client “had no idea what she was doing”.
“It’s clear there’s a great deal of naivety involved,” he said.
“She really didn’t know how to drive the car, which may make things better or worse depending on your view.”
Sheriff Ian Cruickshank adjourned the case for reports and issued the teen with an interim disqualification from driving.
She will return for sentencing next month.
