A Fair Cop or was it?

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Fri 2 Nov 2007 17:44
A Fair Cop or was it? - Falkirk Bairn
A policeman who told Central Scotland Police he had drunk "a bucketful" when stopped for driving a damaged car has been banned from driving.

Douglas Reid, 48, who is due to retire from Strathclyde Police, was given a 15-month ban at Falkirk Sheriff Court.

Reid was stopped in Shieldhill, near Falkirk, in the early hours of 16 December, 2006 by officers who noticed extensive damage to his Honda Accord.

Sheriff Neil MacKinnon also ordered him to pay a £540 fine for the offence.

The court heard that when Reid was stopped and asked to step out of the vehicle, he was abusive, swearing at officers.

£540 fine + 15mth Ban - is that enough for:-

1) Seriously over the limit
2)Abusive to the Police arresting him
3) A Person who should show an example and should know better

50 years ago being abusive and swearing at a police officer would have merited a stiff fine or prison on its own without any driving offences.
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Fri 2 Nov 2007 20:31
A Fair Cop or was it? - fordprefect
"A policeman who told Central Scotland Police he had drunk "a bucketful" when stopped for driving a damaged car has been banned from driving."

"a person who should show an example and know better"


Some 40 years ago I worked for six months in Livingston, commuting daily from Edinburgh.
Spending one evening drinking in Bathgate with a friendly off-duty policeman, we were advised to drive home at a good rate of knots, so as not to attract suspicion of drunk- driving from traffic cars. (there were more such things then as Gatsos had not been invented; no breathalysers either!).

Later in the evening some locals threatened my mate with a kicking, because he was English. The cop and his pal sorted the locals out in the car park with apparently nonchalant and expert use of broken bottles.
A bit messier than a scene from "Life on Mars" but my mate and I were very appreciative of this proactive hospitality at the time.
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Fri 2 Nov 2007 20:33
A Fair Cop or was it? - BobbyG
Bathgate hasn't changed in 40 years then!!
--
2007 Seat Altea XL 2.0 TDI (140) Stylance
2005 Skoda Fabia vrS
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