BEING in charge of a car when over three times the alcohol limit, cost Colin George a £200 fine, and an 18-month driving ban.

At Selkirk Sheriff Court on Monday, George, 39, of William Law Gardens, Galashiels, admitted being in charge of a car on the road near Tweed Horizons, just off the A68, at Newtown St Boswells, on July 1, with a breath/alcohol limit of 112 micorgrammes – the legal limit being 35mg.

Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser said: “Police received a call about a man lying on the roadside, next to a vehicle.

“When they arrived, they found him slumped in the seat, with the keys in the ignition, and mumbling incoherently.” The 18-month driving ban was back-dated to October 13.

George was also fined £175 and had his licence endorsed with 10 penalty points on a further offence.

He was fined £75, and his licence endorsed with six penalty points, after he admitted failing to give information about the identity of the car driver, at Winston Place, Galashiels, on March 25.

George was fined a further £100 and his licence endorsed with four penalty points after he also admitted failing to co-operate with a breath test, after it was suspected he had been driving while under the influence of alcohol.

“Police received a report about the way a vehicle was being driven,” explained Mr Fraser, “the suspicion being that the driver had been drinking.

“They went to his address about an hour and a half later and asked who had been driving, and he said he didn’t know.

“He was confrontational, and refused to give a breath test,” added Mr Fraser.

On a separate complaint, George also admitted failing to cooperate with a breath test at William Law Gardens on June 13, and sentence was deferred for six months, until May 11 next year.

Defence solicitor Robert More said his client had not driven for the past three months.