A DUNFERMLINE man was found behind the wheel while more than SIX TIMES the drink-drive limit after being asked to do shopping for his elderly parents.

Sheriff Alastair Brown told James Reid, 58, of Urquhart Crescent, that he was surprised he managed to find the car door never mind drive.

Appearing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court yesterday (Wednesday), Reid admitted that on December 2 last year, he drove on Urquhart Crescent with 145 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath when the legal limit is 22.

Police officers stopped Reid after receiving a report of concern that he appeared to be under the influence.

Solicitor James Moncrieff said his client had alcohol problems and had now taken steps to get help to address this.

"He provides assistance to his elderly parents," he said. "He was asked to go and pick up some messages and appreciates it was not a very good thing to do. He has had marked difficulties with alcohol for some time and this has been a significant wake-up call for him.

"He is extremely remorseful and is aware this could have been much more serious."

Sheriff Brown ordered Reid to do 120 hours of unpaid work within six months and banned him from driving for 16 months.

He told him: "Drink-drivers kill people. You had breath alcohol which was close to seven times the limit. It is remarkable that you were even able to find the door of the vehicle to even get into it. You were at a severe risk of doing people a very serious harm."