Falkirk court heard 130mph drunk driver hid in stranger's car boot after abandoning his BMW

Unfortunately for Stephen Stewart, 32, bystanders saw him climb into the hiding place and they were able to point police in the right direction – saying “he’s in there” when officers came looking for him.

Stewart appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday having admitted dangerous driving and drink driving on various roads, including the A833, the A872 and Stirling Street, Dunipace on April 22, 2021.

He gave a reading of 187 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of urine, when the legal limit is 67 milligrammes.

The charges stated Stewart was driving in excess of 130mph in a 60mph zone and travelling the wrong way down the M9 motorway into oncoming traffic.

Procurator fiscal depute Amy Sneddon said: “At 11.40pm police on mobile patrol had their attention drawn to a grey BMW which appeared to be driving erratically. They followed after the vehicle, which was doing well over the 30mph speed limit at the location.

"Travelling towards Stirling they noticed the vehicle was pulling away from them and they were doing 130mph. The vehicle was then lost to sight.”

Stewart then performed a series of dangerous manoeuvres, which ended with him driving the wrong way down the M9 into oncoming traffic.

"At that point he abandoned the vehicle,” said the procurator fiscal depute. “Officers found it parked on a hard shoulder around two miles from the Pirnhall roundabout. The vehicle was secured and the accused was traced within another vehicle.

"He was found within the boot of another vehicle, essentially hiding from officers. He was seen to be unsteady on his feet.”

Martin Morrow, defence solicitor, said Stewart, who runs two businesses in Ireland, was very shaken by this and remorseful. He was involved in a “tumultuous” relationship at the time and was drinking heavily at the time in an attempt to deal with things.

“He was in a very unhappy state of mind and he and his partner had separated, added Mr Morrow. “He had come to Scotland to try and clear his mind.”

It was stated Stewart had been attending Alcoholics Anonymous since the incident and was now in a new relationship.

Mr Morrow solicitor gave more details on how Stewart ended up in the boot of a stranger’s car, saying there was a car parked in a driveway and Stewart simply opened the boot and climbed in.

“There were people who were standing watching this,” he said. “And they said ‘he’s in there’ when police arrived.”

Sheriff William Gilchrist noted Stewart, 9 Mill Row, Broughshane, Ballymena, had two previous convictions for drink driving.

He placed him on a community payback order with the condition he complete 150 hours of unpaid work within 12 months and banned him from driving for three years.

Stewart was also fined £1075 which he said he would pay back in full within 30 days.