Drink-driver on Orkney ferry who was arrested in Caithness had 'disturbingly high' alcohol reading, Wick Sheriff Court hears
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Police were alerted about a suspected drunk-driver on board an Orkney ferry heading for Gills Bay.
Officers eventually caught up with Kevin Sillars in Wick, and he was subsequently found to be almost five times the limit, the town's sheriff court heard on Wednesday.
Sillars, from Glasgow, admitted having been in charge of his Ford Transit van with excess alcohol.
He was made subject to supervision and was banned from driving for 16 months.
Fiscal David Norton told the court that the suspicion about Sillars' condition came from concerned Pentland Ferries staff at St Margaret's Hope, on September 20.
Police officers located the accused's van parked in River Street, Wick, and shortly afterwards traced the 35-year-old who gave a positive breath test.
A follow-up intoximeter test revealed a breath-alcohol reading of 120 mg – the legal limit is 22 mg.
Fiona MacDonald said that Sillars, of Rowena Avenue, Glasgow, had been forced to give up his electrical business due to his excessive drinking and had since surrendered his driving licence to the DVLA in order to concentrate on addressing his alcohol abuse.
The solicitor told Sheriff Ian Miller: "Sillars had made a career of running his own business until it all came tumbling down. He is currently being supported by his family in Glasgow. They paid his train fare north to attend court."
Miss MacDonald said that fining Sillars would be pointless as his family would be left to pay it. The accused wasn't fit for unpaid community work.
Sheriff Miller, who saw a background report, described the breath-alcohol reading as "disturbingly high" and said the accused appeared to have taken a decision in Orkney to "go out and get absolutely drunk" but was facing up to addressing his "really serious problem with alcohol "and "must tackle it head-on".
Sillars' case will be transferred to social workers in Glasgow and his supervision will include a course aimed at helping him with his abuse of alcohol.
The accused admitted a further charge of having no insurance. He was admonished but incurred three penalty points.
