A man grieving the death of his father drove while almost three times over the legal limit after a visit to a pub.
Dean Jordan, 47, of Linton Rise, Sneinton was stopped by police when they noticed his Ford Transit driving around a roundabout with its hazard lights on in Derbyshire, driving at just five miles per hour, after he left the Seven Wells pub in Etwall at around 9pm on Saturday, June 26, last year.
Prosecutor Teresa Simms told Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court that Jordan had drunk so much alcohol that he was deemed medically unfit to be taken into custody and had to be taken to Royal Derby Hospital.
As reported by Derbyshire Live, a blood test later found that Jordan had 234 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, which is almost three times the legal limit of 80 milligrammes per 100 millilitres.
He was also driving while uninsured.
Amjid Ibrahim, defending, told the court on Thursday, March 3, that Jordan had been drinking up to 20 cans of lager a day as he struggled to come to terms with the death of his father, but that he had now cleaned up his act.
He said: "Clearly the issue is his previous convictions of a similar nature.
"Since last June there has been a remarkable change in Mr Jordan's lifestyle. At that time he had lost his father to cancer.
"He spent a week in a mental health unit in relation to his excessive use of alcohol. Since June 2021 there has been a massive turnaround in his lifestyle.
"His alcohol consumption is completely under control. He is a qualified electrician and he works around the UK. He is employed, he is a lot more settled mentally.
"I am hoping you will agree me that you can suspend the period of time you wish to impose.
"Clearly there were issues around his drinking problems and also in relation to his mental state. He has completely controlled his drinking, he remains committed to working.
"You may think there only one option but that may put him back. He will lose his job, his rental accommodation will go.
"He knows he should not have been driving. There is genuine remorse, there is complete compliance with the police."
Jordan, who was joined in court by female relatives, brought a bag of clothes with him to his hearing before three dock officers joined him in the dock before the judge delivered his sentence.
One relative said "love you, Dean" before his sentence was announced.
District Judge Jonathan Taaffe said that while the family had his sympathy for the loss of Jordan's father, a custodial sentence was warranted.
He said: "It is not an easy decision for the court. I do need to explain in full the decision I have taken and why. I have considerable sympathy with your family for what they have been through and I know that the sentence I am about to announce will cause them and you distress.
"The reality of this position is as follows: you have an appalling record of driving offences. You have a record of driving while disqualified and disobeying court orders.
"The facts of this matter are staggering. You are stopped by police. Your reading is so high that medically you can't be taken to a police station.
"You are taken to hospital and, after a couple of hours' delay, a blood test is taken from you. That reveals you to have a reading of three times the legal limit.
"At the time you were stopped that reading would have been considerably higher.
"Notwithstanding the very real progress that you have made, people who endanger other people and themselves by placing themselves in control of a lethal weapon, while clearly incapable, run the risk of having their liberty taken away."
Jordan was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison after earlier pleading guilty to driving a motor vehicle when his alcohol level was above the limit and was disqualified from driving for three years.
He received no additional punishment for further charges of driving without insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.
He will be released halfway through his custodial sentence, the latter half of which will be served on licence, and must pay a £128 victim surcharge.
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