Drink driver lost job, wife and licence

A MAN who lost his job and was dumped by his spouse all on the same day chose to drown his sorrows with a bottle of whisky before driving his van.

Christopher Mayle (26) admitted at Inverness Sheriff Court on Tuesday drink driving and being in possession of a fishing knife.

Depute fiscal Heather Swan said: "Around 11.40pm a member of the public was camping at the side of the canal in Fort Augustus. He heard a vehicle approaching, he saw a white van which was being driven by Mayle.

"The member of the public could see Mayle was holding a long shiny object, but couldn't see what it was. Mayle then drove away and the member of the public saw a knife and picked it up and returned to his tent."

Ms Swan said police had been advised of the situation and officers were doing a patrol of the A82 when they came across Mayle in his van.

Mayle was breathalysed and was found to be over the limit and his response when he was shown the knife was that he had split up with his partner and everything he owned was in the van.

The court heard Mayle gave police officers one specimen of breath as part of the drink driving procedure, but refused to give another.

Defence solicitor Craig Wood said Mayle lost his job of two years and then returned home and was chased out of the house by his spouse.

He said: "He bought a bottle of whisky and drove to Fort Augustus.

"His knife was a pairing knife, which is a fishing knife, and he says he has no memory of taking it out of the car."

Mayle, of Glasgow, admitted on July 28 at Oich Road, Fort Augustus, having in his possession a pairing knife.

He also admitted on the same date on the A82 Inverness to Fort William road near Invergarry, driving a van after consuming 83 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, when the prescribed limit is 35 micrograms.

He also pled guilty to failing to provide a specimen of breath at Burnett Road Police Station in Inverness.

Sheriff Andrew Berry fined Mayle £150 for possession of the pairing knife and fined him another £300 for drink driving.

Mayle was also disqualified from driving for 18 months