A drink-driving floor layer who chatted up women in a pub fled when soldiers who knew them turned up – crashing into parked vehicles as he went.
Mark Barclay, 36, from Dundee had been working and staying at Kinloss barracks when he decided to drive to a nearby Spar for some alcohol to take back to his room.
He nipped into the pub next door for one drink – which turned into several – and got chatting to two women at the bar.
When soldiers from the barracks turned up and the situation became heated, Barclay fled in his car, despite being over the limit.
He said witnesses outside the Abbey Inn on Findhorn Road, Kinloss, saw Barclay get into a blue Audi and “concerns were raised as to the accused’s level of intoxication”.
Police were contacted and as Barclay drove off, he collided with three other vehicles in the car park.
Police later found him smelling strongly of alcohol and apparently drunk.
He was arrested after failing a breath test. Checks revealed he was also uninsured.
‘One drink became two, etc, etc’
Barclay, of Tweed Crescent, pled guilty to driving with excess alcohol (40mics/ 22) on February 3.
He also admitted failing to stop after an accident and driving without insurance.
At Aberdeen Sheriff Court, defence agent Shane Campbell said his client had been working as a self-employed floor layer at Kinloss barracks, where he was also given accommodation.
Mr Campbell explained Barclay had driven into town to buy alcohol to take back to the barracks to drink.
He said: “Instead, he made the decision to enter the public house directly beside the Spar.
“He went in for what he intended to be one drink.
“He got chatting to a number of females at the bar. One drink became two, etc, etc.”
‘Flustered’ when soldiers arrived
He went on: “Two males then come into the pub.
“They were members of the armed forces who also resided at the barracks.
“He’s not sure why a difficulty arose between him and the males but it appears they may have known the two females he was talking to.
“He decided the best course of action was to exit the premises as quickly as possible.”
Mr Campbell said Barclay’s judgement was clouded by the alcohol and being “flustered” by the confrontation, and he made the “foolish” decision to drive off.
He added the car had just been purchased and insurance had not been bought yet.
Sheriff Mungo Bovey fined Barclay £1,040 and banned him from driving for 16 months.
For the latest court cases across Tayside and Fife, join our Courts Facebook page.
