Moray motorists – four banned for drink or drugs

Four motorists from Moray have pleaded guilty to driving while unfit either through drink or drugs.

Corey Wilkie was found to be narrowly over the limit for cannabis when he was stopped on the A941 between Lossiemouth during the course of November 1.

The 18-year-old who lives on St Margaret’s Crescent, Lossiemouth, recorded a reading of 2.3 for the drug, when 2.0 is the level at which it’s held to hamper driving.

In addition he also admitted possession of an unspecified amount of cocaine.

The teenager was then stopped again exactly a month later on December 1 at Linkwood Place East in Elgin.

This time the reading for cannabis was 3.5. In addition, he also pleaded guilty to a charge of driving without insurance.

The proceedings against Wilkie at Elgin Sheriff Court were adjourned until April 17 so that social workers could compile a report on his background. He was banned from driving in the meantime.

A second case involved Elliot Higginbottom who’s a serviceman at RAF Lossiemouth.

Elgin Sheriff Court heard that the police received information just before midnight on February 23 about a suspected drink driver on John Street.

The 21-year-old was traced nearby on Brander Street about 80 minutes later.

A breath test administered within Elgin Police Station at 2.24am the following morning gave a reading of 97, which is more than four times the legal alcohol limit of 22.

Higginbottom, who also pleaded guilty to having no insurance, saw his case adjourned until April 17, by which time military disciplinary proceedings against him will have concluded.

A third case involved Adam MacPhail, of Bailey Place, Lossiemouth, who tested positive for cannabis on November 23.

Police officers approached the 28-year-old after seeing him “slumped” behind the wheel of a stationary van parked next to the Moray Coast Medical Practice.

As a result of being more than five times the limit, he was banned from driving for a year and fined £600.

The last of the four cases was heard at Inverness Sheriff Court and involved an Elgin man who drove with almost eight times the safe limit of cocaine in his system.

Peter Hay, of Mitchell Crescent, pleaded guilty to committing the offence at Inverinate on the A87 during the course of July 26, 2023.

The 33-year-old was banned for 17 months and ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work for the community.

The court heard that Hay had a previous conviction for drink driving from just over 10 years beforehand on July 23, 2013.

Sheriff Neil Wilson told him: "You are fortunate that by three days you are not facing a minimum disqualification of three years."

Defence solicitor Brent Lockie told the court: "Since the offence he has completed a programme for substance misuse. This was an error of judgement."