A Fife man who drove into oncoming traffic and crashed into a car at a roundabout had 16 times the permitted limit of cocaine in his system.
Michael McQueen’s dangerous driving in Rosyth and Dunfermline saw him go through a red light and drive the wrong way round a roundabout.
He had been driving with 800mcg of Benzoylecgonine – the major metabolite of cocaine – per litre of blood, far exceeding the specified legal limit of 50mcg/litre.
Sheriff Peter Anderson told him: “You could have killed yourself and could have killed or seriously harmed other people by your driving that day.”
Drug-induced psychosis
Fiscal depute Azrah Yousaf told Dunfermline Sheriff Court construction worker McQueen was in his works van and hit a car at a roundabout in Rosyth.
This was captured on mobile phone footage from a nearby business and he was later detained by police.
Ms Yousaf said he was taken to hospital and diagnosed with drug-induced psychosis.
The fiscal said at one point McQueen’s van was seen driving on the opposing side of a road “on to oncoming traffic”.
Ms Yousaf said McQueen, 39, then went through a red traffic light close to a petrol station in Rosyth.
She continued: “He then drove up Queensferry Road on the wrong side of the carriageway.
“Part of that is dual carriageway”.
The charges
McQueen, of Loch Leven Terrace, Kelty, previously pled guilty to driving dangerously and while under the influence of Benzoylecgonine on October 30 2021 on the A921 Admiralty Road and the Admiralty roundabout leading onto Castlandhill Road, Rosyth.
In Dunfermline he admitted driving dangerously on the A823M Queensferry Road, Aberdour Road, Townhill Road, Whitefield Road, Kingseat Road and elsewhere.
The charge states he drove at excessive speeds, repeatedly overtook other vehicles unsafely, collided with the back of a car at a roundabout, repeatedly drove on the wrong side of the road and entered into the face of oncoming vehicles, causing them to take evasive action.
He went through a junction displaying a red traffic signal and drove the wrong way around a roundabout.
‘Wakeup call’
Defence lawyer Shona Westwood said McQueen had been going through a very difficult period in his life and was taking cocaine on a regular basis.
The solicitor said he did not remember the day of the incident but does accept responsibility.
“He says this was a wakeup call on drugs and alcohol.
“He says he has not had a drink since new year and has scaled back the cocaine use and does not have it very often anymore”.
The lawyer said at the time of the offence McQueen, a father-of-two, lost his business but is now back in full time employment.
Persuaded against prison
Sheriff Anderson told McQueen he hoped he was as “appalled” by the court narration of events.
“(You were) putting a lot of people at risk and all of that would appear to arise in particular because of the state you were in – the drug-induced state you were in.”
However, the sheriff said he was persuaded – just – by McQueen’s solicitor and a social work report not to imprison him.
Instead, he must carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and will be placed on supervision for 15 months, part of which is to help him kick the cocaine habit.
He is banned from driving for two years and was fined £500.
For the latest court cases across Tayside and Fife, join our Courts Facebook page.
