Drugged up driver parked car at Falkirk bus station stop

A driver was so wasted on his prescription medication he drove into a town centre road only meant for buses and then proceeded to park at a bus stop.
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Grant Caldwell (32) turned into Falkirk’s Newmarket Street bus depot – near Asda – and parked his car. When a bus driver spoke to him she realised he was obviously flying high on some kind of sunstance and called police.

He told officers it was his prescription medication, but later admitted he knew he was not fit to get behind the wheel and should not have taken the decision to drive that day.

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Caldwell appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court on Thursday having pleaded guilty to driving while unfit due to drugs in Upper Newmarket Street, Falkirk on July 6 last year.

Caldwell appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court on Thursday to answer for his motoring offenceCaldwell appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court on Thursday to answer for his motoring offence
Caldwell appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court on Thursday to answer for his motoring offence

Procurator fiscal depute Sean Maher said: “The witness was driving her bus in the course of her employment at 3.50pm along Upper Newmarket Street. A blue Fiat motor vehicle drove through a red light onto Upper Newmarket Street and was seen to pull into a bus stop.

"The witness used her bus to block him in and then spoke to him. She noted his speech was slurred and formed the opinion he might be intoxicated. Police were called and officers noted his pupils were dilated, his speech was slow and slurred and his mobility also appeared to be impaired.

“He told police he had only consumed prescribed medication. He was later examined by a doctor who formed the view he was indeed impaired through drugs and a blood sample was taken.

"He said ‘It was just my medication’.”

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The court heard Caldwell, a single man who lives alone, was well aware he was impaired before he drove and should not have driven. He had just been released from hospital at the time.

It was stated his car had been scrapped and he had “no intention of driving again in the foreseeable future”.

Sheriff Christopher Shead banned Caldwell, 31 Park Road, Blackridge, Bathgate, from driving for three years and placed him on a supervised community payback order for 12 months with the condition he complete 160 hours unpaid work in the at time.