A CLACKMANNAN man was almost five times the drink-drive limit when he tried to force his way through a car park barrier in Sauchie last month.

Stuart Currie was heavily under the influence when get behind the wheel at the homeless accommodation on Hallpark, Sauchie.

He pleaded guilty to the offence when he first appeared from custody and was brought back to Alloa Sheriff Court for sentencing on Thursday last week.

Depute fiscal Ruaridh Ferguson said Curie, 37, was observed by witnesses entering the vehicle at around 7.20pm on October 15 this year.

Police, who were in the area on an unrelated matter, were told of the situation involving the accused and intervened.

Currie had been trying to drive through the barrier at the homeless accommodation, without success.

He was subjected to a breath test and blew a reading of 109 microgrammes of alcohol per 100ml of alcohol – five times the legal limit of 22mcg.

His defence agent told the court: "He fell out with his girlfriend and so instead of allowing matters to escalate, he took the sensible to remove himself from the situation.

"Where his sensible conduct falls apart is him getting into the vehicle."

The lawyer added that his client had already served the equivalent of a 44-day jail sentence and asked the court to instead impose "a significant ban" and the imposition of a financial penalty.

Sheriff David Mackie, presiding, told Currie: "There is an underlying problem here which has caused you to offend; I feel the appropriate course is to put you under a community payback order to give the support to help you deal with this.

"A disqualification is inevitable and in this case it will be for a period of 18 months. This was a very high reading and it was a very dangerous thing to do. I'm glad you didn't manage to get past the barrier."

Currie, of Backwood Court, will also be placed under supervision for the next six months and was also told to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work.