By Dave Lord

POLICE OFFICERS patrolling a Perthshire town in the early hours of the morning were stunned to see a drink driver speeding past them at 60mph on the wrong side of the road.

Perth Sheriff Court heard that police officers had to chase Dennis Gilchrist through Alyth before he eventually pulled over.

Gilchrist—a manager with chicken processing firm Grampian Country Foods—yesterday insisted he only failed to stop because he did not notice the police had activated their blue lights.

When he finally pulled over two miles out of town he was found to be almost twice the legal limit.

Yesterday he admitted driving with excess alcohol (69 mics, the limit is 35) on various roads in Alyth on May 12.

Gilchrist (41), of High Street, Alyth, further admitted driving dangerously and at excessive speed in a built-up area, on the wrong side of the road. He also failed to stop when required by police.

Depute fiscal Janine Bates gave details of the offences.

“Police officers were on uniformed patrol at around 00.35 hours when they stopped at a junction,” she said.

“They were about to move off when they saw a silver Volvo pass in front of them on the wrong side of the road.

“The vehicle was travelling well in excess of the 30mph speed limit.

“Officers activated their blue lights and signalled to the driver to stop...they estimated the Volvo’s speed to be around 60mph.

“The police started following the Volvo which was now straddling both lanes of the carriageway.”

Miss Bates said the police officers lost sight of Gilchrist’s vehicle for a while before they managed to catch up with him again, close to Alyth golf club.

“The accused pulled over at the golf club,” she continued.

“Officers could smell alcohol on the accused’s breath. He immediately stated, ‘I have been stupid,’ and handed over the car keys.”

Gilchrist then provided a positive breath test.

Representing himself in court, the accused confirmed that he earned £22,000 a year as a manager with Grampian Country Foods.

“On the night I was really stupid,” he said.

“I was driving faster than I should have been and was on the wrong side of the road as I was passing parked cars.

“I did not realise that the police had flashed at me to stop and when I did realise I thought the golf club was the safest place to pull over,” Gilchrist continued.

“The loss of my driving licence will effect me a lot but hopefully I will not lose my job.

“It was a stupid thing to do and I will just have to learn from what I have done,” he added.

Gilchrist was fined £800 by the sheriff and banned from driving for 18 months.