Drink driver crashed car on the way home from court appearance

Perth Sheriff Court: Edwin McArthur was sentenced to prison.

A motorist who denied drink driving crashed while over the limit on his was home from court.

Edwin McArthur, 41, admitted drinking and driving twice in 24 hours.

McArthur was initially arrested on March 29 this year and was detained overnight in custody after giving an alcohol reading of more than double the legal limit.

He appeared from custody at Perth Sheriff Court the following day and pled not guilty to the charge of drink driving in the city the previous day.

He was freed on bail that afternoon, but by 6pm the same day McArthur was under the influence of alcohol again and got back in his car to drive home when he crashed, fiscal depute Carol Whyte said.

When he appeared again at Perth Sheriff Court on Friday he admitted the original March 29 offence. In May this year, McArthur admitted the later offence, which the court heard took place as he drove home from court. He had then pled guilty to driving while he was three times over the legal limit.

Solicitor John McLaughlin, defending, said McArthur, of McCallum Court, Perth, had previously had a drink problem, which he had tackled, but had began to drink again after being stabbed.

Mr McLaughlin said the wound was so bad that the knife had to be left in his body for some time because doctors said removing it would kill him.

Sheriff Michael Fletcher noted that McArthur now has four drink driving convictions and said he had no option but to send him to prison for six months. He also banned from driving for ten years.

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