AN IT project manager who crashed a vehicle into a tree in the Borders while over the alcohol limit and with no insurance has been banned from the road for 12 months and fined a total of £600.

Ross Myles, 23, pleaded guilty at Jedburgh Sheriff Court to careless driving, drink-driving and driving with no insurance on the B6438 road near Coldingham on February 6.

Fraser Matheson, prosecuting, said police received a phone call at around 8.45pm from a member of the public to say there was an unattended pick-up truck which had come off the road and collided with a tree.

He explained the front end of the vehicle was damaged and the airbags had been deployed.

Mr Matheson continued: "They did not find the driver at the scene. They carried out a check and using local knowledge they identified the registered keeper who confirmed the driver of the vehicle was Mr Myles."

The court heard that he was traced at 9.48pm and he confirmed he was the driver and failed a roadside breath test.

Myles had to be taken to hospital and it was not until 3.20am that he recorded a breath/alcohol reading of 29 microgrammes - the legal limit being 22. He was charged at 4.30am.

Defence lawyer Ross Dow said his client had been drinking earlier in the day and he drove the car of a friend who was the passenger.

Myles had been drinking earlier in the day but felt he was OK to drive the car.

Mr Dow said: "He accepts his judgement was impaired."

Myles, who gave an address in Edinburgh, was fined £200 for each of the three charges of careless driving, drink-driving and no insurance.

In addition a victim surcharge of £40 was also imposed along with the one-year disqualification period from driving.