A Perth and Kinross councillor who was found driving while she was more than twice the alcohol limit has been banned from the road.
Audrey Coates - who was elected to Perth City South in 2017 - was disqualified from driving for a year and fined £400 after she admitted being drunk at the wheel of an uninsured car.
The Scottish Conservative councillor was spotted driving around the city centre and was eventually pulled over by police officers.
Coates, who was suspended by the party after her arrest, admitted two charges when she appeared in the dock at Perth Sheriff Court on Tuesday.
She had been due to go on trial but changed her plea to admit both offences.
Coates, who sat on the local authority’s licensing committee, admitted being drunk at the wheel of her Citroen C1 near her home on 26 September 2020.
Coates, 65, Cornhill Road, Perth, drove a car while the proportion of alcohol in her urine was 177 milligrams, in excess of the 67 migs limit.
She admitted driving under the influence of alcohol and without insurance in the city’s Longcauseway, Seafield Road and Cornhill Road.
Fiscal depute Elizabeth Hodgson told the court: “At noon an anonymous call was received by police, stating that the occupant of a Citroen car was driving under the influence.
“Police observed the car turning onto Longcauseway. They followed the driver and intimated that the driver should pull over using their blue lights.
“They approached the driver who was the sole occupant. On speaking to the accused there was a strong smell of alcohol on her breath.
“A PNC check was carried out and no insurance was listed for the vehicle. The policy had been cancelled on 23 August 2020.”
Solicitor John McLaughlin, defending, said: “She is a first offender. Unfortunately 2020 was a very difficult time for her as her husband had been admitted to hospital.
“She was very upset at the time. He was admitted to Murray Royal Hospital and she couldn’t see him. The insurance had lapsed by mistake.”
Coates told the court that she intended to give up her driving licence.
Coates, who was a past secretary of the Perth Show and has run her own events business and property letting agency, was elected to represent Perth City South in November 2017.
She also sat on the Perth Common Good Fund Committee and the Pre-Determination Committee and claimed almost £18,000 in expenses during the last reported financial year.
Coates, who is married to Perth City North Councillor Harry Coates, also sat on the Tayside Joint Valuation Board and was previously on the Tayside Contracts Joint Committe and the Tay Rivers Trust.
Councillor Murray Lyle, leader of the local authority’s Conservative administration, confirmed Coates was suspended by the party after the allegation came to light.
