Angry Highland sheriff tells Muir of Ord drink-driver: ‘You have one chance and one chance only’
A 26-year-old Ross-shire man was told he was "on staggeringly thin ice" by a sheriff after being arrested for failing to obey court orders and turn up for a previous social work background report.
Sheriff Gary Aitken however released Corrin MacPhee of Westways, Muir of Ord for another appointment with the Criminal Justice team with a warning: "You get one chance and one chance only. If you don't turn up for reports you will go inside to get them done."
MacPhee was arrested on warrant and appeared from custody at Inverness Sheriff Court. He had previously admitted driving on Craig Road, Dingwall on July 28, 2023 with over three times the legal limit of alcohol in his system.
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His reading was 68mcgs when the maximum is 22mcgs. He also pleaded guilty to driving with no insurance.
Sentence had been deferred for the report but it was not available due to his non cooperation. MacPhee had been charged with dangerous driving on the A835 at Conon Bridge, committed three days earlier on July 25.
But when he appeared before Sheriff Aitken, his solicitor, Graham Mann, told the court that his client would plead guilty to the lesser charge of careless driving.
The court heard he had carried out an unsafe overtake in the face of oncoming traffic after failing to keep a safe distance, had to brake sharply to avoid a collision and the oncoming traffic had to slow down to prevent an accident.
Sentence was again deferred until December 12 for the report.
