Tresta drink driver caught twice in three days given fine and banned

A 62-year-old motorist has been fined £4,200 and disqualified from driving four years.

James Magnus Peter Fraser previously admitted driving with excessive alcohol in his system on two separate occasions - only three days apart.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank handed Fraser the sentence when he appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

The court heard last month how Fraser, of Tresta, had been driving on the A971 between Robinson and Morrison Ltd, Soundside and Newhouse, Tresta, when he was stopped by officers.

A member of the public had been concerned when they saw him at 10.30am on 3rd September and contacted the police.

Fraser failed a road test and was arrested.

The breathalyser test showed Fraser was almost five times over the limit - 121 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 22 microgrammes.

Procurator Fiscal Duncan MacKenzie said Fraser was released on an undertaking later that day.

However, three days later, on the morning of 6th September, police saw him behind the wheel of his car on the A971 between the Tumblin Junction and Newhouse, Tresta.

On this occasion a second breathalyser test showed he had 139 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

At Wednesday’s hearing Sheriff Cruickshank said the readings had been “extremely high”.

He believed Fraser had a “problem with alcohol”.

On the first charge, the sheriff ordered Fraser to pay a £1,200 fine and disqualified him from holding a driver’s licence for 14 months.

Fraser was made subject to a community payback order on charge two. He was told to pay a £3,000 fine and disqualified for four years.

However, Fraser can reduce this ban by a quarter if he completes the drink driver’s rehabilitation course.

He is also subject to 12 months supervision and must complete 70 hours of unpaid work.