Drink-diver left car on the road to go and try and get served at a bar

A drink-driver abandoned his car on a busy road and then walked into Inverness city centre in an attempt to get served at a bar.

The city's sheriff court heard that witnesses saw David Stewart (51) leaving his vehicle in the middle of Millburn Road on December 18 last year.

Fiscal depute Pauline Gair said: "Witnesses saw the accused get out of the car and his appearance gave them cause for concern."

Mrs Gair said police then tried to trace Stewart and he could be seen going down the High Street and being refused service from a bar.

When police caught up with him he showed a reading of 123 micrograms of alcohol per 100 ml of breath.

The legal limit is 22 micrograms.

He first told police that his car had broken down and then he had gone to get drunk after leaving it.

However he later admitted to drink-driving on the city's Crown Drive.

Defence agent Neil Wilson said his client's life had gone "off the rails" during the latter part of the year and he had turned to alcohol.

Sheriff David Harvie disqualified Stewart, of MacKintosh Road, from driving for 14 months and imposed a £300 fine.