A sozzled Croatian who drove his works van in a town centre in a bid to avoid a parking ticket has been hit with a £1900 fine.
Krunoslav Vuckovic, 38, was six times over the drink-drive limit when he decided to get behind the wheel and move the vehicle after a drinking session in Dunfermline.
He was spotted by members of the public staggering about, clearly intoxicated, before getting into the van.
The vehicle was stopped by police and Vuckovic, who is employed on building the new Forth Crossing, failed a breath test, Dunfermline Sheriff Court was told.
As a result of the incident at the Glen Bridge car park, the German-registered works van was seized and the Crown initially sought forfeiture but this was later dropped.
Depute fiscal Kiran Uppal said police “received a report of a man staggering under the influence of alcohol” before getting into the vehicle.
Vuckovic, who is living in dockyard workers’ accommodation in McGregor Road, Rosyth, previously appeared from custody and admitted that in the car park near Bridge Street, Dunfermline, he drove with excess alcohol.
His reading was 130 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit being 22 microgrammes.
Vuckovic returned to court for sentencing accompanied by an interpreter.
Defence solicitor Roshni Joshi said, “He is a first offender. Cultural differences have been identified and this is set against his alcohol consumption on the night in question.
“He fully accepts that he should in no way have been in the vehicle.”
Sheriff Charles Macnair said, “You were clearly intoxicated. You must have realised you had no business being behind the wheel.
“It would appear that your only reason was to avoid a parking penalty. You were putting lives at risk by driving.”
The sheriff fined Vuckovic £1900 and disqualified him from driving for 27 months.
