Romantic break lands Inverness man driving ban and community payback
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A WEEKEND away went sour for a couple who arrived drunk at their holiday accommodation.
Martin Murray and his partner were staying at a cottage near Daviot on November 7, 2020 when they were turned away because of intoxication.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard they phoned a taxi to take them home but Murray’s partner was sick and the cab driver refused to take them.
So Murray (42), of Blair Grove, Inverness, decided to drive.
He subsequently crashed the car into a gate while driving down the single track road and police were called.
He became aggressive when officers wanted him to sit in their vehicle, fiscal depute Victoria Silver said.
Murray admitted driving with excess alcohol. His reading was 35mcgs of alcohol in his breath when the limit is 22mcgs.
He also pleaded guilty to driving with no insurance and resisting arrest.
Defence solicitor Rory Gowans told Sheriff Gary Aitken: “It was supposed to be a romantic weekend but they had too much to drink. His partner fell into a pothole and was injured so he decided to drive home. But he can’t drive and it was a stupid decision. However this was a wake up call for both of them as they had been drinking too much.”
Murray was ordered to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work, banned from driving for a year and placed under social work supervision for the same period.
