Bainsford drink driver got behind the wheel to help police

Margaret Welsh (53) was caught by police as she returned home to 16 Cross Street, Bainsford more than a little worse for wear. She claimed she took the decision to drive because she was trying to help officers find a missing woman, who was actually staying at her home.

Appearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, first offender Reid had pled guilty to the offence she committed in Cross Street, Bainsford, on July 2. She gave a reading of 115 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, when the legal limit is 22 microgrammes.

Lynn Swan, defence solicitor, said: “A girl phoned her saying she had just had a dispute with her partner. Mrs Welsh took the girl to her home address and left her there as she was going to visit her mother.

“Her sister had died only a few days before and her mother was in a terrible state.”

In the meantime, a missing persons report had been made by the girl’s boyfriend and Welsh contacted police and informed them she was staying in her property.

However, police required to actually see the girl for themselves and Welsh, who had been drinking heavily at her mother’s house nearby, took the wrong decision to get in her car and drive the short distance back to Cross Street.

Sheriff Craig Caldwell said: “Regretfully you took the decision to drive a very short distance – a very foolish decision indeed when you were five times over the legal limit.

“You were acting as some form of good Samaritan, taking this female into your house and I take account of these exceptional circumstances, given your previous good conduct.”

Welsh was banned from driving for 12 months and fined £300 to be paid back within one month.