AN ALLOA man caught drink driving at nearly four times the legal limit has been fined and banned from the road.

Niall Smith, 59, of Clackmannan Road, appeared for sentencing at Alloa Sheriff Court on Thursday, September 13.

The procurator fiscal told the court that Mr Smith had been approached by two witnesses while in his vehicle at a car park in Hiltonhawk Way, Alloa, on August 19.

The witnesses smelled alcohol from him and contacted the police – who arrived and arrested the accused.

Mr Smith, defending himself, told the court he had been working out of the country, and had not realised the drink drive limit in the UK had been lowered.

He said: “The limit changed here while I was in Ireland and I didn’t know. I had a drink and thought I was under the limit.”

A breath test revealed Smith had 86 microgrammes of alcohol for 100ml of breath, well above the legal limit is 22mcg.

The previous limit was set at 35mcg, but was reduced in December 2014.

Sheriff David Mackie fined Smith £650 and banned him from driving for 12 months.

However, he offered the accused the opportunity to reduce the ban to nine months upon successful completion of a drink drivers’ rehabilitation course.