Earl of Haddington is disqualified from driving after police called to accident on Borders road

Author: Ally McGilvrayPublished 6th Nov 2023
Last updated 6th Nov 2023

The Earl of Haddington has been fined £500 and disqualified from driving for 12 months after being found in charge of a vehicle while more than two-and-a-half times the legal alcohol limit.

Jedburgh Sheriff Court today (Monday) heard police found the 37-year-old on the A6105 road between Earlston and Gordon after being called out to an accident, around 7.50pm, on April the 12th this year.

The Earl - whose address was given as Mellerstain House, near Gordon - recorded 126 milligrammes of alcohol in his blood when the limit is 50mg.

He was charged under his full name, George Edmund Baldred Haddington.

Defence lawyer Graeme Runcie said his client was a first offender and described his occupation as a "land manager"

He said the Earl had had a fairly challenging year and also had to "address some of his issues".

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Sheriff Peter Paterson told him the length of the ban will be reduced by three months if he successfully completes the drink-drivers rehabilitation scheme.

Not guilty pleas to separate charges of driving without L plates while only holding a provisional licence, and driving without insurance, were accepted by the Crown.

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