Jail for drunken lorry driver who crashed in Perthshire while six-times legal limit

A drunken lorry driver who was more than six times the legal limit when he crashed on a remote Perthshire road has been jailed.

Michael Yeo was arrested after his HGV came to grief on the B996 near Glenfarg on August 7 this year.

The 32-year-old appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted being behind the wheel with excess alcohol (134mics/22).

Yeo, who already has two drink-driving convictions, attempted to dismiss the alcohol-fuelled smash as an “oversight” and a “misjudgement.”

His own lawyer told him he could have killed someone.

‘Misjudgment’

Solicitor Billy Somerville, defending, tried to persuade the court not to jail his client.

“On this occasion, it was only by luck that no one was injured or even killed,” he said.

“He lost his employment as a result of this.”

Mr Somerville said Yeo was willing to engage with an addiction clinic.

“I would suggest imposing a community payback order with the maximum hours of unpaid work.”

Sheriff Jennifer Bain KC told Yeo: “I note from the report before me that you have minimised the seriousness of driving a large vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.

“You have described your actions as an ‘oversight’.

“I struggle to understand how being six times over the legal limit could be ever described as an oversight.”

She said: “You also used the expression that this was a ‘misjudgement.’

“Again, it is of great concern that you think this behaviour was simply a misjudgement.”

‘A significant risk of harm’

The court heard Yeo had set off from haulage services in Bo’ness at about 9am.

He crashed on the B996 Glenfarg to Bein Inn Road, near the Arngask junction, just after 2pm.

“According to the report, it was after 3pm that you tested as over six times the legal limit,” said the sheriff.

“You did this having previously been convicted of driving while under the influence of alcohol in the UK in 2021.”

He has a similar conviction from Ireland from 2016.

“It is clear that you have learned nothing from your past actions,” the sheriff said.

“You present as a high risk of reoffending and a significant risk of serious harm.”

She said: “Given your inability to recognise the signifcance of your behaviour, your terrible record of previous convictions and to protect the public from the high risk that you present, there is no alternative but to impose a custodial sentence on you today.”

Yeo, of Union Street, Portadown, was jailed for 23 weeks.

He was banned from driving for six-and-a-half years.

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