Drink-driver caught after supping brandy to sort out his heartburn
A man was caught drink-driving in Sunderland after downing turning to brandy to cure his heartburn, a court heard.
Leonard McConville, 65, of Priestman Court, Ford Estate, sank the liquor as a cure for tummy trouble on the advice of a friend at the end of a night out, it was said.
But he had already consumed lager and was seen walking unsteadily to his car by police at around 1.05am on Sunday, April 23.
They tailed his Audi Q7 afterhegotbehindthewheeland set off along Tunstall Road and intoLeechmereRoad,Hillview.
Prosecutor Glenda Beck said he was pulled over after heveeredintothecentreofthe highway and signalled when not required.
A breath test showed he was approaching twice the legal limit for alcohol, leading to his arrest.
At South Tyneside Magistrates’Court,hepleadedguilty to drink-driving – his second suchoffence–andwasbanned from the roads for a year.
Mrs Beck said: “Police were in Derwent Street when they sawMrMcConvilleinthecompany of a female walking towards an Audi Q7.
“They noticed that he was a little unsteady on his feet. He got into the driver’s seat and headedoutintoTunstallRoad.
“His vehicle was veering into the centre of the road, and he indicated when he didn’t need to.
“Police caused the vehicle
tostop,andtheycouldsmellalcohol. He said he’d consumed three pints of lager.”
McConville gave a roadside breathtestreadingof60mcgof alcohol,alevelwhichhadfallen to48mcgbythetimeoftwoevidential samples at a police station. The legal limit is 35mcg.
The court was told McConville was also banned for drink driving in December 1998.
Sandra Fife, defending, said: “He’s been in the Forces. On this night, he’d been suffering for some time from heartburn and wasn’t feeling great.
“He says he’d had two shandies and one pint but what appears to have caused the problem is that he was speaking to someone about his heartburn.
“They said a sip of brandy would help. He wasn’t sure about that, but it appears that’s what may have put him over the limit.”
McConville, who has six points on his driving licence for speeding, was also fined £120, with £85 court costs and a £48 victim surcharge.