A MAN was caught in his car over the alcohol limit after he was assaulted by his girlfriend and wanted to get away from the situation, a court has been told.

Gary Roach, 32, pleaded guilty to being drunk in charge of a motor vehicle after providing a breath sample to police with a reading of 47 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The reading was more than double the Scottish limit of 22 microgrammes.

Ayr Sheriff Court heard last week that Roach had been seen by police at the Monkton services on March 19.

The procurator fiscal depute told Sheriff Shirley Foran: “At 3.30 in the morning, police officers attended Monkton service station and came across the accused in the vehicle stationary.”

After a positive breath sample he was taken to Kilmarnock police station.

“He was cautioned, charged and made no reply.”

Roach’s defence solicitor said his client worked as a joiner and urged Sheriff Foran to opt for a punishment which would allow Roach to keep his licence, adding he had been a victim of a domestic attack before the incident.

He said: “Mr Roach had been in the local area with his partner, children and other family. A disagreement broke out.

“His partner assaulted him and as a result he took himself out the of the situation and into his car.

“He is a man who is a time-served joiner. I would invite to step back from disqualification.”

Sheriff Foran fined Roach, of Paisley, £450 and gave him 10 penalty points – allowing him to keep his licence.

Unlike drink-driving, which carries a mandatory minimum 12-month ban, there is no mandatory ban in Scotland for someone found drunk in charge of a vehicle.