Mansfield man nabbed by cops after dip in Sutton reservoir

A Mansfield man was stopped by police after staff at Sainsbury's reported him on suspicion of drink driving when he bought beer at 7.40 in the morning while he was dripping wet and wearing no shoes.
Mansfield Magistrates CourtMansfield Magistrates Court
Mansfield Magistrates Court

Mathew Stephen Brown, 40, of Lees Avenue, admitted failing to provide a specimen for analysis on June 4.

Lee Shepherd, prosecuting, said police were called to the Sainsbury’s store on Westfield Lane in Mansfield at 7.40am after staff called them.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“He was seen outside a silver Audi loading shopping. It left the car park on to Westfield Lane. Officers followed and signalled for him to stop.

“The officer stated the male had a glazed and vacant look on his face. When questioned, he ignored the officer. He didn’t seem capable of operating the window so he opened the door and said ‘What do you want? I have got an eye infection.’”

The court heard Brown seemed to struggle with their questions and began swearing at the officers.

Asked if he had been drinking, he said: “There’s Polish drivers driving around drunk but you pull me over.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He continued to swear at the officers and threw his arms around in annoyance. When asked why he was wet he said he had been swimming in the reservoir.

He was eventually handcuffed and taken to Mansfield police station where he refused to come out of the cell for a breath test.

The court heard he had a previous conviction for drink driving from 2010.

Morgan Hogarth, mitigating, said Brown had worked on renovating shops all over the country, but had substantial debts after a period of unemployment which led to the breakdown of his relationship.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The night before he had drunk ‘a couple of beers’ with a friend and gone for a walk around Kings Mill Reservoir when he dropped his car keys into the water.

When he retrieved them he lost a shoe, said Mr Hogarth, so he discarded the other one.

“He says he was having such a bad day and just lost it,” said Mr Hogarth. “He accepts he’s put himself in a much worse situation. He just refused to engage with police.”

Brown was fined £400, with costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £40. He was banned for three years and put on a 12-month community order, which includes ten days of one-to-one sessions with an alcohol worker.

Related topics: