By Dave Lord

A SHAME-FACED teenager appeared in court yesterday after being caught enjoying a drink-fuelled joyride on an 8mph invalid carriage.

Derek Rodgers from Perth downed vodka and Irn Bru prior to jumping on the low-powered scooter which is designed for wheelchair users.

The 17-year-old, of Nimmo Place, was only planning to travel a few hundred metres but found going “round the block” took more than half an hour.

Following a tip-off police had no trouble catching up with the drunken thrill-seeker and indeed Rodgers had ground to a complete standstill by the time officers tracked him down.

He later told police he was so drunk he felt he was in fact travelling at high speed.

Depute fiscal Stuart Richardson told Perth Sheriff Court the invalid carriage in question had belonged to an elderly disabled woman.

He said, “The vehicle was the property of an acquaintance of the accused. It had originally belonged to the acquaintance’s mother who was disabled.”

Mr Richardson added, “The accused was drunk and decided he would have a shot of it.”

The offence took place shortly before 7am and early morning motorists were shocked to see Rodgers attempting to negotiate traffic in the Letham area of Perth.

Eventually one stunned onlooker contacted police when she saw the accused driving past her house.

Shortly afterward officers found him sitting on the stationary invalid carriage.

Rodgers, who was smelling strongly of alcohol, told the police it had broken down and, when arrested, replied “guilty man, as charged.”

He admitted to driving the invalid carriage without insurance and with excess alcohol (86 mics, the legal limit is 25) along various Perth roads on January 15.

Solicitor Paul Ralph said Rodgers now appreciated it had “not been his best day ever.”

“When interviewed by police in the wake of this rather embarrassing incident Mr Rodgers said he had only wanted to go round the block.

“However, he found that it took him more than half an hour to cover a relatively short distance.

“He had been drinking and when police inquired as to why he had driven the invalid carriage he replied, ‘If I kent how ***** it was I would not have got on it.’

“Mr Rodgers also told police that he felt he was ‘going fast’ even though the vehicle was only capable of travelling at 8mph.”

Mr Ralph said Rodgers now realised he had not covered himself in glory.

“It would be fair to say this was not his best day ever and does not represent a great chapter for him,” the solicitor added.

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis fined Rodgers £500 and banned him from driving for two years.