Tesco drink driver seen buying alcohol in Forres branch

A woman who failed a breath test has been banned from the roads and ordered to carry out unpaid work.

At about 8pm on January 22, a vehicle was being driven so slowly around the Tesco car park in Forres that it attracted the attention of a shopper.

Speaking at Elgin Sheriff Court, fiscal depute Shay Treanor said: “Once inside the store this person saw the accused buying alcohol.

“Upon leaving, the witness then got caught behind the same vehicle as they both left the car park.”

The court heard that the car in front headed west out of Forres.

It then travelled along the A96 slowly and erratically for about half-a-mile until turning left towards Mundole.

Mr Treanor added: “The witness became concerned about the manner of the driving and rang 999.”

When the police arrived on the scene they found the vehicle’s bonnet was still warm to the touch.

Carol Bell, its owner, was taken to the police station where a breathalyser recorded an alcohol reading of 112 – more than five times the legal limit of 22.

The 62-year-old, whose address was given in court papers as Riverview Country Park, pleaded guilty to a single charge of drink-driving.

Defence solicitor Matthew O’Neill said his client had never appeared in court before and was very unlikely to be doing so again.

The lawyer added that she did not have an underlying drink problem.

Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov banned Bell from the roads for 16 months, although this period will be reduced to 12 months if she pays for and passes a drink-driver rehabilitation course.

In addition, the sheriff ordered her to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work for the community within the next six months.