Posh drink-driving student smiles as she leaves court after judge accuses her of relying on ‘mummy and daddy’

A ST ANDREWS University student caught drink driving has been accused by a sheriff of relying on “mummy and daddy” to pay her court fine.

Gina Feichtinger, 20, told Dundee Sheriff Court she was being supported by her parents in Liechtenstein while she was studying in Scotland.

2

Sheriff Tim Niven-Smith said: “So mummy and daddy will be paying the fine?” 

He said he might impose unpaid work instead, but was persuaded not to by solicitor David Duncan.

He banned Feichtinger from driving for 12 months and fined her £600 after she admitted driving while she was over the legal limit.

The court was told that she had been pulled over in her Mini Cooper in the Fife town on March 9 and had initially driven off before being stopped again.

Police officers who spoke to her quickly realised from her eyes and the strong smell of alcohol coming from her that she was driving under the influence.

Feichtinger, who is in her second year studying Geography and Sustainability Development, was given time to pay the fine by the sheriff.

Fiscal depute Carrie-Anne McKenzie told the court: “The vehicle stopped in Church Street and was stopping vehicles from passing.

“It remained there for a few minutes before moving off and then police indicated for it to pull over so they could check everything was OK.

“The driver of the vehicle identified herself. It was apparent from her eyes and the smell coming from the vehicle that she may have been intoxicated.”

She failed a roadside breath test and was taken to police HQ in Dundee where a formal drink drive test showed she was nearly three times the limit.

Solicitor David Duncan, defending, said: “The car is hers. She was volunteering at a student event during the day and at the conclusion of the event drink was taken by various persons involved.

“At that stage she realised if she was going to be partaking of alcohol she would have to leave her car overnight and that was her intention.

“Unfortunately, where she had parked originally did not allow for that. She realised the car was in the wrong place to park.

“What she should have realised was that she wasn’t fit to drive it. I think there was a certain naivety on her part. She is supported by her family.”