A BALLINGRY man has been found guilty of drink-driving following an incident with another motorist.

Francis McGuire, 63, claimed he had not been drinking before the confrontation but had knocked back vodka after leaving his car at the scene and walking home.

A shop worker had taken McGuire’s car keys from him.

The incident occurred at around 9pm when a female driver in Ballingry became concerned about another car on the road.

She had walked over to the vehicle to speak to the driver, McGuire, whereby it appeared to her that he was drunk, the court heard.

In fact, the woman said McGuire could hardly stand up when he got out of the vehicle. He had walked away after the shop worker had taken his car keys.

The police were contacted and went to McGuire’s home where they were allowed in and found him sleeping.

McGuire, of Kirktoun Park, was found guilty of a charge that on November 27, 2021, at Craigie Street, Ballingry, he drove after consuming excess alcohol.

His reading was 93 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the limit being 22 microgrammes.

McGuire’s version of events was that he had not been drinking but instead was at the bookies that day.

He said that following the incident with the female driver, he felt intimidated by a group of youths who had gathered and were accusing him of drink-driving.

That was the reason he got out of his car and walked home, he claimed, and, once there, he started drinking vodka.

Police had found him in his home sleeping on the bed still fully-clothed.

Sheriff Wylie Robertson did not believe McGuire and found him guilty.

He said McGuire was “not a credible or reliable witness”. His overall recollection of events was “vague” yet he could remember how much he had to drink once he returned home.

The sheriff said the claims about McGuire leaving the car because he felt intimated by members of the public were “bizarre”. He added: “It’s more likely he was making himself scarce.”

Defence solicitor Christopher Large said his client had “little in the way of a record and nothing analogous”.

He added McGuire worked in a mental health unit and there could be “repercussions” as a result of the conviction. He said his client was otherwise an “upstanding member of the community and hard-working.”

The sheriff banned McGuire from driving for 21 months and fined him £790.