A 31-year-old man who crashed his car while he was more than three times the drink-drive limit is facing a year-long driving ban and £500 fine.

Graeme Buchan was returning from an engagement party in the Beith area when he lost control of his car near Willowyard Road in the early hours of August 20.

Buchan, of South Drive in Kilbirnie, pled guilty to two charges under the Road Traffic Act at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court last week.

He admitted to driving after consuming so much drink that he had 73 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit in Scotland is 22 micrograms in 100 millilitres of breath.

Buchan also pled guilty to driving without due care or attention or without reasonable consideration for others and failing to maintain adequate control of his vehicle.

The court heard that Buchan attended a function on August 19 and had been consuming alcohol. He attempted to drive back home in the early hours of the next morning.

But Buchan lost control of his vehicle on the B777 and struck a pedestrian footpath barrier, causing his car to spin multiple times. A driver in the opposite direction tried to take evasive action to avoid a collision with Buchan’s vehicle but was unsuccessful and the two cars collided.

After the accident, witnesses saw Buchan getting out of his car and walking away. He was stopped by witnesses who made him return to his car while police were contacted.

When officers arrived, Buchan became extremely repentant and made a number of apologetic comments. He said he was at fault and accepted that he had had a drink

Representing himself at court, Buchan told Sheriff Michael Hanlon: “Mistakenly, I drove home thinking I’d be ok. I’m more than willing to do a DDRS drivers’ awareness course if the offer is given.”

Sheriff Hanlon fined Buchan £300 for being over the drink-drive limit, reduced from £450 due to his guilty plea. He also disqualified Buchan from driving for 12 months, but agreed to reduce the ban to nine months on the successful completion of a drink-drive rehabilitation course. On the second charge, Sheriff Hanlon fined Buchan £200, reduced from £300, and ordered that his licence be endorsed.