A Perthshire rugby player totalled his car after a drunken night-out with teammates.
Shaun Barton went on a pub crawl in Perth after a game in Edinburgh.
But when he missed his bus, he attempted to drive back home to Comrie in his Vauxhall Astra.
The 24-year-old, a former Perthshire Rugby Young Player of the Year, careered off the Madderty to Crieff Road, at Dollerie Bridge.
He immediately admitted to police that he been drinking before getting behind the wheel.
Barton, of Laggan Square, appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted driving while more than twice the legal alcohol limit on September 4, last year.
Airbag deployed
Fiscal depute Matthew Kerr told the court: “In the morning, the accused parked his vehicle adjacent to Bell’s Sports Centre in Perth.
“He then travelled to Edinburgh by coach as part of a team to play a rugby match.
“The accused consumed various drinks at the rugby club.
“And he continued drinking alcohol on the coach back to Perth.”
Mr Kerr said: “Afterwards, he went drinking with teammates at pubs in Perth until about 10.30pm.
“He then got into his vehicle and drove towards the locus.
“There, he crashed onto a grass verge and his airbag was deployed.”
Barton was uninjured in the smash, but his car was written-off.
“Police attended and noted that the accused smelt strongly of alcohol,” said Mr Kerr.
“He immediately identified himself as the driver and said that he had been drinking.
“The accused failed a roadside breath test.”
Police stayed on at the scene until Barton’s car was recovered.
“The accused was taken to Ninewells Hospital,” said Mr Kerr. “Due to an unrelated matter, officers were unable to access equipment to take a second breath specimen.
“A police doctor attended at the hospital and a blood sample was taken.”
Mr Kerr was unable to say at what time the blood test was administered.
A reading of 107 mics of alcohol in 100ml of blood was recorded. The legal limit is 50 mics.
Banned from the road
Barton, representing himself in court, said: “I missed my bus home. That’s all I can really remember.”
Sheriff Derek Reekie told him: “This was a rather foolhardy decision, wasn’t it?
“You got into your vehicle when you were clearly unfit to do so.”
The sheriff added: “I take into account that this is your first offence you have accepted your responsibility.
“I also take into account that you lost your car.”
Barton, who had been driving for a year before the smash, was fined £670 and banned from the road for 16 months.
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