A mother has been banned from the road after she was found "driving" an imaginary car.

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

At Perth Sheriff Court on Friday, Spiers, 44, admitted she had been driving her real car - which was parked nearby - under the influence of strong prescription medicine.

Fiscal depute Craig Donald told the court: "Police were on patrol on the day in question at 9.50pm.

"They spotted the accused sitting on the pavement with her hands in the driving position.

"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."

He added: "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.

"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 near Falkirk, admitted driving on the A85 Perth to Crieff road, near Gilmerton, on April 13 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.

"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," she said.

"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 added: "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."

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis banned Spiers for a year and fined her £300.