Champion piper fined and banned at Inverness Sheriff Court for drink driving
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A RENOWNED piper was banned from driving for a year and fined £700 after he admitted driving while almost five times the legal drink-drive limit.
Chartered surveyor and piping gold medallist Euan MacCrimmon appeared before Sheriff Margaret Neilson to be sentenced.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard that neighbours saw MacCrimmon (46) staggering in Slackbuie Park Mews, where he lives, at about 8.45pm on November 25 last year after hearing a loud bang.
Fiscal depute Sharon Ralph said: “They saw him sitting in the driver’s seat, turn on the lights of his Volvo SUV and reverse before driving out of the cul-de-sac on to the distributor road. On Sir Walter Scott Drive at the Asda roundabout, there was an incident involving his vehicle and he was followed by other witnesses who phoned the police.”
The court heard that MacCrimmon gave an alcohol reading of 103mcgs when the limit is 22mcgs.
Defence solicitor Cecily Kingston said: “He was going through a difficult time in his professional and personal life, as were close family members, and this affected him.
“It was not one of his finest moments and he has shown considerable remorse. He knows he will be banned today and this will affect his ability to do his job and transport his elderly parents.”
MacCrimmon has the chance of a three-month discount on his disqualification if he successfully completes a drink-drive rehabilitation course.
