Jail for double drink-drive nurse

The Sheriff said he had to set an example for the public

A specialist divers' nurse faces being struck off and banned from working on oil rigs after being jailed for six months for drinking and driving.

William Dundas was also banned from driving for eight years for being drunk at the wheel twice in just over a week.

He was about three times the legal alcohol limit for motorists on both occasions he was stopped in Perthshire.

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis told Dundas it was "inevitable" he would be sent to jail to set an example to the public.

Perth Sheriff Court was told that the expert in dealing with deadly diving condition the bends could be barred by the General Nursing Council if he was jailed.

Armed with knife

Solicitor John McLaughlin, defending, told the court Dundas, from Methven, would also be forbidden from working offshore again if he was locked up.

However, Sheriff Foulis said: "I have to deal with your personal circumstances, but I also have to deal with how your actings affect society generally.

"Within just over a week you were driving on two occasions where you had in your system around three times the legal alcohol limit."

The court had heard how Dundas - armed with a knife - had stolen four bottles of vodka from a Tesco supermarket in Perth before getting into his car in April.

Staff followed him and warned him not to drive off, but he ignored them and began circling the car park looking for the exit.

He finally managed to get out and was found a short time later.

Dundas was caught again eight days later while driving on the A85.

Tayside Police officers discovered his car veering along the road and watched as he weaved into the oncoming lane several times.

He was seen taking a bend on the wrong side of the road and narrowly missed crashing into a lorry before the officers managed to bring him to a halt.