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Inverness motorist banned from driving for 18 months after refusing to provide blood sample because of needle phobia


By Ali Morrison

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Inverness Justice Centre.
Inverness Justice Centre.

Police stopped a 26-year-old motorist who later refused to provide a blood specimen to determine if he was fit to drive because he had a needle phobia.

But Inverness Sheriff Court was told that it was not a reasonable excuse to fail to provide a sample as Thomas Stewart did not have a recognised medical condition.

Stewart, of Druid Road, Inverness had previously admitted four charges which occurred on two dates and sentence was deferred for a background report.

Fiscal depute David Morton told Sheriff David Sutherland that police stopped Stewart’s Ford Transit van about 1am on May 27 last year at the Tore roundabout.

Officers who had earlier seen the vehicle with inoperable front and rear lights, then detected a strong smell of cannabis and a swab test of Stewart proved positive.

He was then required to provide a blood sample to determine if he was fit to drive but he declined, offering the reason.

Stewart pleaded guilty to driving while unfit and failing to provide a sample.

The court then heard that on August 1, 2020 Stewart was seen by police in another vehicle between Mackintosh Road and Millburn Road and a computer check revealed he had no insurance.

Mr Morton said: "A strong smell of cannabis was also noticed and a search of the car revealed nothing. But Stewart proffered information that he had a small lock knife in his pocket."

Stewart admitted driving with no insurance and illegal possession of a knife. Defence solicitor advocate Neil Wilson said: "It is accepted that he has a considerable record of previous convictions, some of which are analogous."

Stewart was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, placed under two years of social work supervision and banned from driving for 18 months.

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