Final warning for disqualified driver who was over the limit

Oct 23 2008 by Our Correspondent, West Lothian Courier

A DISQUALIFIED driver was caught behind the wheel while over twice the legal drinks limit.

Police officers spotted a car being driven erratically on Lanrigg Road, Fauldhouse shortly after midnight on August 1 this year.

They noticed the car was swerving across the road and the driver repeatedly switched their headlights on and off.

When the officers pulled the car over they immediately smelled alcohol on the breath of the driver Andreana Morrison.

Morrison was taken to Livingston police station where the 39-year-old was breathalysed and gave a reading of 74 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath — over twice the legal limit of 35mg per 100ml.

At Linlithgow Sheriff Court Morrison, whose address was given as 4 Jubilee Road, Whitburn pled guilty to the offence. Morrison also admitted driving while disqualified and driving without insurance offences.

Her solicitor, Glenn Fraser, told the court his client had pled guilty at the first opportunity and had stuck to the bail condition that she was not allowed to drink alcohol since August 1.

Mr Fraser added: “This is her second conviction for driving while disqualified and it came two weeks after her last one.

“She has had a fairly difficult life especially in the last few years.

“She had found support from her partner who had been trying to reduce her drinking.

“The catalyst for this was an argument with him and him telling her the relationship was coming to an end.

“At this time he was her lifeline and she panicked.

Sentencing Morrison to 135 hours of community service and banning her from the roads for four years Sheriff Martin Edington said: “I hope you have learned your lesson but if you have not and you appear in this court again, especially on a drink related driving charge, then you will almost certainly be given a custodial sentence.

”You will also been fined a total of £1000.”