Dingwall railway maintenance worker drove van after taking cocaine

A Dingwall railway maintenance worker who drove after taking cocaine and then resisted police has been fined and banned from driving.

Neil Dalziel (41), of Munro Place, admitted the drug driving charge and behaving in a threatening and abusive manner by struggling with police officers.

He also admitted possession of two wraps of the drug and was fined a total of £1600 and banned from driving for 15 months.

Fiscal depute David Morton told Inverness Sheriff court that on September 18 last year in Dingwall, police on mobile patrol in Deas Avenue, Dingwall, decided to stop Dalziel because he was driving his van exceptionally slowly for the road conditions.

When police tried to search Dalziel he took exception and began struggling with the officers shouting: “You won’t put me to the ground,” but was “ultimately detained”.

Tests showed he had 51 micrograms of cocaine per litre of his blood.