A millionaire businessman has been handed a lifetime driving ban after he was spotted motoring down the A9 while slumped at the wheel with his eyes closed.
Colin Peat, the co-owner of one of the country’s biggest demolition firms, narrowly avoided prison after his erratic driving on the busy road near Auchterarder prompted multiple calls to police.
The 55-year-old, who has a previous conviction for drink driving in a golf buggy, admitted driving his Land Rover dangerously on the A9, south of Perth and at the city’s Triangle, while impaired through alcohol or drugs on January 28.
Peat, of Broomhill Road, High Bonnybridge, further pled guilty to failing to co-operate with a police breath test, and failing to provide a blood sample.
The businessman’s solicitor insisted his client had not been drinking, despite police noting a strong smell of alcohol and an empty wine bottle in his car.
Disqualified for life
Sheriff Alison Michie told him: “I have been provided with a number of written references on your behalf which indicate that you have a viable business and you employ a vast number of staff.
“But I also have to balance that against the fact you have pleaded guilty to serious offences, and you have a record of analogous convictions.”
She said: “You are a father of four children and you are responsible for a number of employees.
“Those are factors you should have had at the forefront of your mind when you took the decision to drive on this day.
“You have issues with alcohol misuse but that is no excuse for your driving.”
The sheriff added: “A custodial sentence is uppermost in the court’s mind, but I am narrowly persuaded that I can impose a direct alternative.”
Placing Peat on a restriction of liberty curfew for six months, she told him: “I consider that given the circumstances of this offence, that you should not be driving again.
“Accordingly, I will disqualify you from driving for life.”
Slumped at the wheel
Fiscal depute Elizabeth Hodgson told Perth Sheriff Court witnesses reported Peat’s Land Rover as it headed south on the A9, at around 8.45pm.
“It was observed swerving across the road, between lanes one and two.
“At one point, it had two wheels up on the verge.
“The vehicle was also witnessed braking and accelerating.”
The car behind Peat slowed to 20mph “to avoid a collision” and drivers called police.
A lorry in front of Peat’s car switched on its hazard lights to warn other motorists.
“A driver who overtook the accused’s car observed what appeared to be the accused slumped in his vehicle, with his eyes closed,” Ms Hodgson said.
Woken by police
Several police units were scrambled to the area to search for Peat’s car.
“At about 9.30pm, the police traced the vehicle outside a Honda dealership with its engine running, and its lights on,” said the fiscal depute.
“Police approached the car and saw the accused asleep in the driver’s seat.
“It took a considerable amount of time to rouse the accused by knocking on his window.”
Ms Hodgson said: “Once he was awake, he opened his door.
“It was obvious to police that he was under the influence of alcohol.
“There was a strong smell of alcohol and his speech was slurred.
“There was also an empty wine bottle on the passenger seat.”
Peat was arrested after refusing to comply with a roadside breath test.
Complaining of chest pain, he was taken to Perth Royal Infirmary, where he refused to provide a blood sample.
Black-outs
His solicitor, Maurice Smyth, told the court: “I had the pleasure of meeting Colin Peat when he was 14 and working on his father’s slate business.
“It was just before his father died.
“Thereafter, his life was one of unceasing, prodigious personal endeavour resulting in the creation of a colossal, multi-faceted industry which brought much-needed and sustained employment.”
After being prompted by the sheriff to address his client’s offending, Mr Smyth said: “He understands perfectly that there were problems with his driving.
“At this time, he suffered, from time to time, medical seizures.
“Perhaps black outs is a better description.”
He has no desire to drive again.”
Peat’s solicitor, Maurice Smyth
He said: “He had been at a funeral in Aberdeen and had driven some friends back to Dundee.
“After his friends left him, he realised he was having a seizure.
“It had been a long day. He had had no drink at all.”
Questioned by the sheriff why his client had pled guilty to a charge stating he drove while “impaired through alcohol and drugs”, Mr Smyth said the empty bottle – and smell of alcohol – were left behind by his passengers.
The court heard that the black-outs may have been a result of alcohol withdrawal.
Mr Smyth said the DVLA had also urged his client to give up driving because of his medical condition.
“He has no desire to drive again.
“He has assistance available to him, in terms of his employees.”
Mr Smyth said: “Mr Peat has to manage this enormous business and people are highly dependent on him.”
Previous court cases
In 2015, Peat – who employs a workforce of 180 – was fined and banned from driving for six years after he drunkenly drove an electric golf buggy down a street in Lambert.
Falkirk Sheriff Court heard there was a friend in the passenger seat and another clinging to the back.
Outside court, he said that he did not know drink-driving laws applied to golf carts on public roads.
Peat’s firm, Central Demolition Ltd, was fined £50,000 after a worker died at a site in Edinburgh in 2004.
Bosses admitted the work site was not safe because they had failed to request important information about the structure of the building being demolished.
