A DUMBARTON man was found bruised and crying after he crashed a car into two other vehicles and a traffic signal while drunk.

Stefan McCrone was traced by police shortly after the incident near Dalreoch railway station at around 1.25am on February 19.

McCrone, 20, appeared at the town’s sheriff court for sentencing on Thursday – when his solicitor said he had been “a very stupid young man”.

The court heard McCrone’s mother had contacted police shortly after finding him in her home with bruises to his chest and abdomen.

Fiscal depute David McDonald said: “The accused drove the vehicle east on Cardross Road near Dalreoch station at excessive speed before leaving the carriageway and striking a traffic signal. The vehicle travelled across a grass area before striking a traffic signal. The accused left the vehicle and made off.

“Police were instructed to attend the crash site and on arrival observed an abandoned motor vehicle with extensive damage along the body panels.

“At 2.15am that morning the accused’s mother and her partner returned to their home address to find the accused within, drunk and crying.

“They saw he had removed his top and had a number of bruises to his chest and abdomen area. He told his mother he was sorry about driving the car, and continued to cry. His mother contacted police. Officers attended the accused’s home address and spoke to him, his mother and her partner.

“Due to the information passed to the officer by his mother, the accused was required to provide a breath sample which showed a positive test for alcohol.”

McCrone, who was stated in court papers as being of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to charges of driving without due care and attention, while over the legal alcohol limit, without L plates while only holding a provisional licence, and without insurance.

His breath sample provided a reading of 35 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath; the legal limit is 22 microgrammes.

Kenny Clark, defending, told the court: “He has expressed remorse and has apologised to his family.

“He would not argue with an assessment that he has been a very stupid young man, and he recognises that his family has shown a considerable degree of tolerance.”

Mr Clark said McCrone had an opportunity to go to Australia, but that any such move could be put off to allow him to comply with a community-based sentence.

Sheriff Maxwell Hendry told McCrone: “You have one quite serious, but non-analogous, matter on your record.

“You have the potential to be a useful member of the community, but if you continue to offend, quite soon you are going to end up in prison. After some hesitation I have decided, given your lack of analogous offences, that I can deal with you by way of a financial penalty and disqualification.”

McCrone was fined a total of £725 for the four other offences he had admitted and banned from driving for a total of two years.