Anonymous tip-off leads to ban

Campbeltown police caught a Clydebank drink-driver following a tip-off. On October 28 last year, as Nichola McFall drove away from a Burnside Square bar, police received an anonymous call alerting them that she had been drinking. Procurator fiscal depute Eoin McGinty told Campbeltown Sheriff Court that McFall, 26, of 192 Duntocher Road, Parkhall, had pulled into the forecourt of the County Garage, where her car was later found, but was told there was no toilet. When police found her at Co-op, across the road, she had been abusive to staff and was arguing with a member of the public. McFall failed the roadside breath test and was taken to Campbeltown police station. She called the police f ****** liars and demanded that her community psychiatric nurse be contacted. Following this McFall was taken to hospital. At last Thursday’s hearing McFall pleaded guilty to two charges – one of being 3.3 times over the drink-drive limit and another of threatening behaviour at Co-op.

Anti-psychotic

McFall’s defence solicitor said she had little recollection of the incident, perhaps due to her anti-psychotic medication and drink being a bad combination. Sheriff Patrick Hughes disqualified McFall for 16 months. The disqualification would be reduced by a quarter if she took a drink drive rehabilitation course and he fined her a total of £500 to be paid at £100 per month.