A MOTHER has been banned from driving for 12 months after she was found driving an imaginary car.

Sandra Spiers was discovered sitting on the pavement with her hands in front of her as if she was gripping a steering wheel.

Spiers, 44, admitted she had been driving her real car, which was parked nearby, under the influence of drugs at Perth Sheriff Court. Fiscal depute Craig Donald said police had been patrolling the area shortly before 10pm when they “spotted the accused sitting on the pavement with her hands in the driving position.”

He added: “When she was spoken to by the officers she appeared to be under the influence of a substance as she was not making eye contact and was falling asleep.

“She was asked to identify the driver of the vehicle which was situated nearby. She replied it was her and then provided a negative alcohol blood sample at the roadside.

“She was taken into custody and subsequently examined by the police doctor, who formed the opinion she was under the influence of a substance and blood samples were taken.

He added: “It is accepted on behalf of the Crown that the medication the accused was under the influence of was prescription, rather than any illicit medication.

“The doctor was of the opinion she was unfit to drive. I don’t think anything further can be added beyond that.”

Spiers, from Bo’ness, pled guilty to driving on the A85 Perth to Crieff road, near Gilmerton, on 13 April last year while she was unfit through drink or drugs. Solicitor Kirsty Lumsden, defending, said her client had been taking medication after the death of a close family member around four weeks before the incident.

“She was prescribed a course of medication by her GP. She was used to taking it and could generally anticipate the effect it would have on her system.

“It is accepted that unfortunately, on the day in question, she was sleep deprived and through her grief had not eaten properly or perhaps not taken enough fluids to hydrate herself.

“Perhaps owing to these factors the medication she was taking had a more considerable effect on her system. On this particular occasion she was unfit to drive her vehicle.”

“She accepts entirely her responsibility for her actions. She is a 44-year-old woman who has never come to the attention of the courts or the police previously.

“She has asked me to pass on her apologies and she has learned a very harsh lesson from this incident. It is an incident she will not repeat in the future.”

In addition to the ban, Sheriff Lindsay Foulis fined her £300.