Drink driver banned for ‘dangerous’ U-turn into oncoming traffic on A9 in Perthshire

An under-the-influence driver performed a U-turn on the A9 and drove the wrong way down the dual carriageway into the path of oncoming traffic.

Motorists had to intervene to stop mother-of-four Dana Hendry as she headed south in the northbound lane.

Perth Sheriff Court heard how the 26-year-old’s car broke down on the trunk road in the early hours of October 20 after drinking at her home in Braco.

Hendry pled guilty to dangerous driving on the recently-completely dual carriageway section near Stanley.

She was told by a sheriff the consequences of her “error of judgement” could have been far more serious.

Breakdown

Fiscal depute Duncan McKenzie, prosecuting, said: “At around 4.45am, police officers were made aware of a broken down vehicle with a potentially intoxicated female driver.

“They attended at the locus and traced Ms Hendry in her vehicle.

“At this time, other members of the public had stopped to help her.”

Witnesses told police they had stopped to assist when they spotted the grey Peugeot 5008 with a damaged front wheel.

“However, they said Ms Hendry had got back in her vehicle and turned round in an attempt to drive back towards Perth,” Mr Duncan said.

“She had driven southbound but in the northbound carriageway.

“The witnesses had managed to stop Ms Hendry and were able to direct her to the side of the carriageway.”

It is understood others motorists managed to manoeuvre in front of her car to block her path.

The fiscal depute said: “When officers spoke with Ms Hendry at the car, they noticed a strong smell of alcohol on her breath.

“Her speech was slurred.”

Hendry was taken to Dundee police station and it was confirmed she had alcohol in her system.

‘An error of judgement’

The charge states Hendry drove while under the influence of alcohol in the wrong direction, towards oncoming traffic.

Prosecutors accepted a not guilty plea to a charge of being behind the wheel while nearly three times the drink-drive limit.

The court heard Hendry had been drinking at home that evening, on top of taking prescription medication.

Solicitor Bethany Downham, defending, said: “She made the regretful decision to drive.

“She recalls that she had flashed her lights to flag down someone to help, after she broke down.

“But after that, her recollection is limited.”

Ms Downham said: “She says this was an error of judgement and accepts full responsibility and consequences of her actions.

“She has expressed extreme remorse.”

Asked by Sheriff William Gilchrist where she was driving to at 4.35am, Hendry replied: “I don’t know.”

The sheriff told her: “It is fortunate that there were other people there to intervene and prevented you from progressing southwards on the northbound carriageway.

“This could have very serious consequences.”

He said: “A disqualification is mandatory and inevitable.”

Hendry, of Carseview, Braco, was banned from the road for a year and told she must re-sit her test to get her licence back.

She was further fined £500.

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