Staxigoe driver fined after 'foolishly' failing to give urine sample
A young drink-driving suspect who failed to provide police with a urine sample without a reasonable excuse has been fined £450 at Wick Sheriff Court.
Ben Fraser, of Moray Avenue, Staxigoe, was also banned from driving for a year. The 21-year-old, a first offender, pleaded guilty.
Sheriff Andrew Berry was told on Monday that Fraser was stopped by officers in the early hours, in Roxburgh Road, Wick, on February 7, initially on a vehicle lights matter, but was then breathalysed and tested positive.
Fiscal David Barclay said that the intoximeter, the usual follow-up procedure, at Wick Police Station, was displaying an error message so Fraser was requested to provide a urine sample and in doing so claimed he was "trying his utmost" to comply with it.
The fiscal added: "The accused has, perhaps, been extremely foolish in his actions, which were out of character for him, but is someone who is unlikely to trouble the court again."

Solicitor Graham Mann said that the accused had taken some alcohol earlier and appreciated the fact that the roadside breath test had returned a positive result.
Mr Mann said he had gone over the incident thoroughly with Fraser, a machinist, who had agreed on reflection that there had been "an element of deliberate evasion" in his actions while trying to provide a urine sample.
Passing sentence, Sheriff Berry also commented that the accused had "behaved foolishly".