A BUSINESSMAN who was caught driving in Helensburgh while more than five times over the drink limit has been told he’s lucky he didn’t kill himself or someone else.

A court heard that self-employed joiner Adam Rhodes immediately admitted he had been driving the car after police apprehended him in town.

Rhodes appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court for sentencing on Tuesday (November 9) after pleading guilty to being heavily over the drink drive limit in the town last month.

Fiscal depute Abigail McKenna told the hearing that police who were on patrol on the A814 near Talisman Crescent in Colgrain at around 11.10pm on October 16 had observed a vehicle with “extensive damage”, and noticed Rhodes standing beside the car.

When he spotted police, Rhodes attempted to leave the scene by foot, but was shortly apprehended moments later.

Ms McKenna said the 41-year-old had told police: “I was driving. I’ve done this before.”

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He failed the roadside breath test and was taken to a police station where he provided two further samples with a reading of 126 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath.

The legal limit in Scotland is 22 microgrammes per 100ml.

Rhodes’ defence solicitor told the court: “He was working on a kitchen in that area. Whilst he was in the pub, he met a few friends from the area and continued to drink.

“I cannot offer any explanation why he decided that, after a significant amount of alcohol was consumed, it was a good idea to get behind the wheel of a car.

“He is ashamed and embarrassed at his disregard for the court and other road users. He could have easily killed himself. He takes full responsibility for his actions.”

Addressing Rhodes, Sheriff Frances McCartney said: “You are very fortunate that this matter is calling at a sheriff court and not in some other court, because your level of alcohol was such that you could have someone killed that night.”

The sheriff banned him from driving for two years.

She also gave Rhodes, of Halgreen Avenue, Drumchapel, a community payback order with 18 months of social work supervision.

He was also ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work and, as a conduct requirement of the order, to get alcohol counselling.