Three times the limit, but man decided to drive BMW anyway
A DRUNK BMW driver got behind the wheel following a boozy family BBQ after being told a taxi would take 40 minutes.
Offshore worker Dean Wilkinson, 38, who was reprimanded in court by a judge for blatantly chewing gum, had told a mate to order a cab, only to drive the pal himself after hearing how long it would take.
The dad-of-one, who the court heard earns between £40,000 and £80,000 a year, was clocked by police driving in an erratic manner in Billingham on August 4 at around 10.15pm, prosecutor Kayleigh Hellens said.
His car was described as “crossing onto the opposite carriageway” with “the rear of the vehicle moving from side to side”.
When stopped, Wilkinson, smelling of “heavily intoxicating liquor”, told police: “You may as well breathalyse me because I have had a drink”.
A breath test at the station showed he had 98 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath - almost three times the limit of 35 microgrammes.
Wilkinson pleaded guilty to drinkdriving in an appearance at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
A probation worker who interviewed the defendant said he had fully accepted his behaviour and had made the “foolish decision” to drive his friend after learning of the delay for a taxi.
Wilkinson, representing himself, said: “I have nothing to say, it was a stupid mistake, it won’t happen again.”
District judge Helen Cousins paused her sentencing remarks to tell the defendant: “Could you please stop chewing”.
Wilkinson, of Charlton Close, Billingham, was fined £717 and must pay £85 in costs, plus a £71 victim surcharge.
He was also disqualified from driving for two years and two months.