A mercy dash to help a stranded ex-girlfriend landed one man in court when he was found to be over the drink-drive limit. Thomas West, a welder from London Road, Balderton, was spotted in his car by a police officer, in a marked police car, at 2.37am on December 11.
The officer went to find out what was going on when he heard an argument and found a woman crouched on the grass verge in Brecks Lane, Elston. West's Hyundai i40 was driven on the wrong side of the road, leading the officer to stop and speak to him.
Earlier, West had picked up his ex-partner, but they had an argument and she got out of the car in rural Brecks Lane, Nottingham Magistrates' Court heard on Tuesday (January 18). "He said he had a 'couple of beers'," explained Peter Bettany, prosecuting. After giving a postive roadside breath test, West was taken to a police station where he blew 81 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, over the legal limit of 35.
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Representing West in court was solicitor Susan Gregson-Murray, who explained her client had no intention of driving that night. He went out with a friend and returned to his home.
He was in bed when he his ex-partner called and said she was stranded and needed a lift - she could not get home to the village of Long Bennington. "My client foolishly went along with that and picked her up," said Miss Gregson-Murray.
"There was an argument." Susequently, West's employers learned about his court case and dismissed him. He needed to drive for his job.
He is now claiming Universal Credit, receives £700-a-month, and pays rent of £525. Magistrates banned him from driving for 17 months, fined him £120 for drink-driving, which he pleaded guilty to, and ordered him to pay a victim surcharge of £48 and costs of £85.
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