Staffordshire Newsletter (Stone Edition)
Drink-driver was caught nipping out for dog food
DRINK-DRIVER Karim Noorani has been jailed after he nipped out to buy dog food
The 53-year-old, who has three previous convictions for drinkdriving, was seen driving erratically in Stone at 10.55am on January 16.
Prosecutor Hannah Baddeley told magistrates: “Police were driving behind the defendant. He was straddling both lanes at slow speed in a national speed limit area. He stopped short at the roundabout and almost caused an accident.
“He pulled into a Shell petrol station on Eccleshall Road and almost hit a fence. Police spoke to him and noticed he smelt strongly of alcohol. He gave a non evidential reading of 130 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath at the roadside. In custody his lowest reading was 117 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, against the legal limit of 35.”
Noorani, of Stafford Road, Aston by Stone, Stone, pleaded guilty to drink-driving.
Alan Dawson, mitigating, said Noorani split from his wife about a year ago. He lost his house and his business was impacted as well.
Mr Dawson said: “Seven months ago he suffered a heart attack. He is very ill. He has been diagnosed with stage two lung cancer.
“He accepts he consumed a quantity of alcohol the night before and into the morning. He got up and noticed he had no dog food. He asked a taxi driver to go and collect dog food and deliver it but the taxi driver refused. He got in the vehicle. He drove to the nearby service station. He was arrested at the service station.
“He does nothing but co-operate. He provided a sample at the roadside and at the police station.”
Mr Dawson said Noorani is working to address his alcohol issues.
He added he would lose his Buy to Let business if he was sent to jail.
Magistrates at North Staffordshire Justice Centre jailed Noorani for 12 weeks describing him as ‘a prolific offender with a plethora of driving offences.’ He was banned from driving for 52 months, which will be extended by six weeks to account for the time he will serve in prison.
Noorani must pay a £154 surcharge on his release.
■ Mr Dawson immediately appealed the court’s decision and Noorani was bailed pending an appeal against the sentence at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on a date to be fixed.