AN EAST Lothian businessman smashed his car into a wall and had to be cut free from the wreckage after an afternoon drinking session.

David Runciman, of Kippielaw Cottages, near East Linton, was left hanging upside down within his vehicle after losing control and failing to take a bend on the country road between East Linton and Luggate.

Fire crews had to cut the driver from the car and he was rushed to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment for various serious injuries following the smash in November 2015.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told on Tuesday that Runciman had drunk alcohol at a business meeting in the afternoon and had decided to head to a local fish and chip shop at about 8pm that evening.

Fiscal depute Liz Paton told the court that Runciman failed to “negotiate a left-hand bend” on the road between East Linton and Luggate and ended up coming to a halt in an adjacent field.

Ms Paton said: “Police officers found him upside down [in his vehicle] and he was there extracted by the fire service. Then an ambulance was called.”

Ms Paton added that Runciman was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, where he gave a positive blood sample to police officers.

Runciman’s solicitor said that his client was a company director of a Hong Kong-based firm and lived in the Chinese administrative region most of the year.

The solicitor said: “He accepts responsibility for this incident.

“The situation arose because the accused, who had been working in the afternoon, had consumed several gin and tonics throughout the course of the afternoon.

“He had not drunk for a few hours and decided to go down to the local fish and chip shop on the assumption that he would not be over the limit.

“As a result of the accident, he suffered injuries including serious spinal injuries, several broken ribs, a laceration to his thorax and had to spend five days in hospital.”

The brief added that Runciman, who attended court after flying in from Hong Kong, paid for the repair of the wall he smashed into, which came to about £750.

Sheriff Fiona Tait banned Runciman from driving for 12 months and fined him £800.

Runciman pleaded guilty to driving a vehicle with 115mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood between East Linton and Luggate on November 24, 2015, which was over the drink-drive limit.