Man crashed his car after drinking cider
AMAN who was feeling ‘low in mood’ crashed his car after downing two litres of cider and five pints of lager, a court has heard.
Anthony John Light, 40, of Aberdeen Walk, Macclesfield pleaded guilty at Stockport Magistrates Court to a charge of driving with excess alcohol.
Prosecuting, Sonia Alford told the court that on Monday, January 15 this year there had been a report of concern for the welfare of Mr Light made to Cheshire police.
A road patrol was dispatched when Mr Light’s car registration was recorded a short time later by a roadside camera in the Knutsford area.
Miss Alford, said: “At around 8.45pm his red Vauxhall Corsa car was spotted on the other side of the carriageway.
“The police car crossed over but by the time they reached him he had crashed the vehicle.”
The court heard that Mr Light had crashed in Chelford Road, Knutsford.
When officers arrived he was seen in the drivers’ seat wearing his seatbelt and had sustained cuts and bruises.
After being checked over at hospital Mr Light gave a blood sample which was almost double the legal alcohol limit at 151 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood with limit being 80.
In a police interview he told officers he had left work earlier that day and was low in mood. He said he had drunk two litres of cider before consuming five pints of lager.
He then made the decision to drive.
Miss Alford, added: “He described his scale of drunkenness as ‘eight out of ten’ and said it was his own intoxication which had caused the accident.
“He said to police that he had ‘really messed up’.”
Mr Light, who was not represented was asked by the bench if he had anything to say. He said: “I regret it. I wasn’t thinking. I lost my job because of it, it was a stupid thing to do.”
The bench told Mr Light that his stupidity could have had dire consequences for other road users or pedestrians.
He was banned from driving for 18 months, fined £303 and ordered to pay a £30 victim surcharge and £85 towards prosecution costs.
His driving ban will be reduced by a quarter if he completes a driving awareness course.
CASES heard by Stockport Magistrates Court:
STUART David Jones, 29, of Portland Walk, Macclesfield, was found guilty in his absence of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour. He was jailed for five weeks and ordered to pay £50 compensation.
MICHAL Chimal, 37, of Samuel Street, Crewe, pleaded guilty to assault by beating in Macclesfield. He was given a 12-month community order with a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement, 100 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £300 costs.
ROBERT James John Cooke, 59, of St Clements Court, Hobson Street, Macclesfield, was found guilty in his absence of using a car without insurance. He was fined £250, ordered to pay £110 costs and disqualified from driving for six months.
CASES heard by Crewe Magistrates Court:
WHITNEY Knight, 49, of Garswood Road, Manchester, pleaded guilty to possessing one snap bag of cocaine in Macclesfield, possessing a quantity of ‘an opiate’ and three counts of theft. She was fined £480 and ordered to pay £80 costs.
THOMAS David Cole, 32, of Parkgate Road, Macclesfield, pleaded guilty to three counts of shoplifting and failing to comply with the supervision requirements following his release from prison. He was given a two-month jail sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay £25.08 compensation and £85 costs.
NEAL Adams, 44, of London Road, Macclesfield, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the requirements of a community order. The order was varied to include an extra two hours unpaid work.
CRAIG John Allen, 35, of Great King Street, Macclesfield, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a community requirement of a suspended sentence order.
His order was varied to include an extra sevenday curfew.