Jailed

[Nwicker60]

Drug-fuelled driver "could have caused carnage"

A SHERIFF told a drug-driver that his 'clueless' handling of his car could have caused "untold carnage".

Steven Bain had popped an excessive amount of pills before he took to the road, weaving onto his wrong side and forcing on-coming drivers to take evasive action.

Sheriff Andrew Berry, who heard that it was the first of two occasions within a week when Bain drove while unfit through drugs jailed him for, nine months and told him at Wick, today: " Your dangerous driving was truly appalling."

Bain, 32, pleaded guilty to two charges and admitted a record. The first offence occurred on June 9 on the B876 Killimster-Wick road. The accused's incredible behaviour was observed by another driver who followed him and alerted the police.

Fiscal Fraser Matheson said that Bain's speed was erratic and he swerved toward the middle of the road and crossed the centre line on several occasions. At times, the accused would realise he was in the path of an oncoming vehicle and over-correct hitting the verge opposite. On another occasion, the driver of a Honda Civic took evasive action but was unable to avoid a wing mirror-to-mirror collision.

Only days later, on June 14, Bain hit a deer at the hamlet of Dunnet. Police recovered a quantity of diazepam and dihydrocodeine tablets from the vehicle. Bain was said to have been taken the pills for anxiety. When his doctor refused to give him more, he resorted to purchasing he topped up from a private source.

Bain was said to be 'horrified' when told about the full extent of his reckless driving, described as "the stuff of nightmares" by the sheriff and appreciated the potential consequences that could have ensued.

Solicitor Jo MacDonald said that Bain, of 4 Harbour Road, Lybster village, took the drugs for anxiety attacks and added that driving had been "foolish and dangerous".

Sheriff Berry, who saw a background report, said that the description of the June 9 episode, indicated the worst case of driving he had ever encountered and continued: "You were taking both sides of the road, apparently clueless to what you were doing. Then, five days later, you are again seriously under the influence of drugs.

Sheriff Berry paid tribute to the motorist who raised the alarm and said: "The community can be very grateful to him."

The nine-month jail sentence related to the June 9 offence. Bain was given a four-month term for the June 14 episode, to run concurrent.

The accused was also banned from driving for three years -backdated to June 15- when he was arrested - and will have to sit and pass an extended driving test once the disqualification ends.

The sheriff added: "The driving authority will look very carefully at your background and will consider if, and when you will be allowed to sit that test ."