A SHERIFF has told a drink driver that his alcohol reading is one of the highest he has "ever seen".

Sheriff Charles Macnair made the comment while sentencing gardener Lorne Anderson with 300 hours of unpaid work at Dunfermline Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

Anderson, 40, of Brands Row, Crossgates, previously admitted that on January 2 on a road or other public place, namely the B981 road between Crossgates and Cowdenbeath, he did drive a motor vehicle after consuming so much alcohol that the proportion of it in your breath was 148 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath which exceeded the prescribed limit, namely 22 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

Depute fiscal, Carrie Stevens, said it was very dark on the B981 and the surface of the road was icy on the day.

At about 7.30pm Anderson was involved in an accident with another vehicle which required an ambulance and police attendance.

He was then taken to a police station where he gave a reading of 148 microgrammes of alcohol.

Defence solicitor, Roshni Joshi, said: "It is not lost on Mr Anderson that this is a very high reading.

"He is a first-time offender and is extremely embarrassed to be here.

"He appreciates that it was foolish and could have been a lot more serious than it was."

Sheriff Charles Macnair told Anderson: "This was an extremely high reading."

He was also left unimpressed with Anderson's explanation to social workers in a report that he was in an accident with a fence post.

Ms Joshi explained that Anderson had clipped the wing mirror of another vehicle and ended up in a field.

But Sheriff Macnair said: "There is a difference between clipping a vehicle and a fence post."

"This is one of the highest readings which I have ever seen," he added.

"I am not wholly persuaded that you are not trying to minimise your responsibility by saying you clipped a fence post rather than the other vehicle.

"It's only because you are a first-time offender and pleaded guilty that you are not facing prison today.

"I would have given you a significant prison sentence."

As well as being ordered to do 300 hours of unpaid work, Anderson was also disqualified from driving for two years.

Forfeiture of his car was also granted.