A drink driver snared four times over the limit as he had a ‘stressful week at work’ avoided jail yesterday.
Christopher McAlaney was stopped in his Fiat Punto by police in Glasgow’s Springburn last November.
The 35-year-old carpet fitter was also found with a lock back knife in his jacket pocket.
He pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to drink driving and possession of a knife without reasonable excuse.
McAlaney, also of Springburn, was ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work by Sheriff Patricia Pryce.
He was also put under supervision for a year and disqualified from driving for 12 months.
The court heard officers had reason to stop McAleney’s motor on Petershill Road.
Officers detected a strong smell of alcohol from the car and McAlaney was slurring his words.
Prosecutor Flora McCamley added: “Officers told the accused to remove himself to the police vehicle.
“Officers saw a bottle of dark rum in the driver’s door pocket and recovered a lock back knife from his right-hand jacket pocket.”
McAlaney was arrested before being breathalysed at a police station and found to be four times over the limit.
The hearing was told McAlaney claimed he just had a “glug of alcohol.”
Lawyer Ross Anderson, defending, said that McAlaney now accepts that this was not the case.
He added: “Mr McAlaney tells me he was stressed and wasn’t thinking as he had a stressful week at work.
“He was looking forward to going out that evening.
“He can’t believe the stupidity of his actions, he now finds himself in a more stressful situation.”
Sheriff Pryce told McAlaney that he needed to work on how to deal with his stress.
The sheriff added: “This was very dangerous and your reading was high.”
