A ROSYTH man’s visit to a friend going through a hard time ended with him being caught drink-driving.

Stephen Cullen, 35, of Elder Place, who appeared in the dock at Dunfermline Sheriff Court, had been spotted by police weaving about the road when more than twice the limit.

He admitted that on February 23, at Queensferry Road, Rosyth, he drove a car having consumed excess alcohol.

His reading was 50 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit being 22 microgrammes.

He also drove without the required licence and without insurance.

Depute fiscal Azrah Yousaf said: “The time of the offences was just after midnight. The police see the vehicle and stop it because of its speed and the fact that it was weaving from side to side. The accused was breathalysed and then taken to the police station.”

Defence solicitor Graham Basten said: “He had received a phone call from his partner’s cousin who had been going through a hard time.”

Cullen had then paid the man a visit in Cowdenbeath, consumed alcohol and was stopped when driving home.

“He had been acting with good intent albeit illegally. It was a stupid thing he did,” said Mr Basten.

He also explained his client’s driving licence only allowed him to drive automatic vehicles and the car involved was manually-operated.

The court was told that Cullen would lose his job as a delivery driver as a result.

Sheriff Alastair Brown rejected the notion that Cullen was acting with good intent, saying: “Drink-driving kills people, it’s as simple as that.”

He fined Cullen £480 and banned him from driving for a year.