An “appalling” drink driver with multiple road traffic convictions and bans has been jailed.
Sheriff John MacRitchie said he had no option but to jail Christopher Gourdie, who was already subject to a four-year disqualification when he was caught drink-driving on October 3.
Gourdie, 38, had been drinking with his uncle at their home in Lochiebank Crescent, Auchtermuchty, before he got behind the wheel of his uncle’s Mercedes Citan van.
He appeared from custody at Dundee Sheriff Court the next day.
Sheriff MacRitchie said: “You have the most horrific record of offences generally and an appalling record of an analogous nature — nine previous convictions (for road traffic matters).
“I have no hesitation to come to the conclusion it is essential I impose a custodial sentence.
“There is a enormous public protection factor.”
Initially blamed uncle
The court heard that initially, Gourdie told police his uncle had hidden behind the passenger seat and made him drive to the shops.
Depute fiscal Christine Allen said: “The accused had been drinking since 4pm.
“At around 8.30pm he went to the shops to buy more alcohol.
“His uncle stayed at home.
“Police attended the home (on another matter not before the court) at 9pm.”
She said they found the accused, heavily intoxicated, asleep on the sofa.
When he was woken they smelled alcohol on his breath, he had bloodshot eyes and his speech was slurred.
He was not the named driver on the van’s insurance..
Ms Allen said Gourdie told police: “My uncle was driving up and down the town.
“He was hiding behind the back seat he forced me to drive and I parked the car here (at his home).”
He said he was “driving responsibly”, was not drunk and had consent to drive.
‘Very poor decision’
Defence solicitor Graham Inch, in mitigation, said: “He is at pains to say his uncle was not in vehicle.
“Both of them had been drinking and he made a very poor decision to go to the shops to buy more alcohol.
“He was drunk when speaking with police but now sober, he acknowledges he was the driver.”
Sheriff MacRitchie jailed Gourdie for 10 months, after he pled guilty to driving while disqualified, without insurance and while almost three times the legal limit (93mics/ 22).
He was also disqualified for a further four years.
