Boozy driver got into his car after he returned from a night out

A depressed drink-driver who got into his car after already returning home from a night out has been banned from the road for 20 months.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.Chesterfield magistrates' court.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.

Chesterfield magistrates’ court head on Wednesday, March 1, how Jake Barker, 25, was followed by police in his Vauxhall Corsa until he was pulled over by police at the Derbyshire Hotel at Carter Lane East, at South Normanton.

Prosecuting solicitor Becky Allsop said: “It was just before 3.20am, on February 12, when officers saw a Vauxhall Corsa and followed it to the Derbyshire Hotel car park.

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“They stopped the vehicle and the defendant smelled strongly of alcohol and was hardly able to speak.”

Barker, of Beck Lane, Sutton-in-Ashfield, registered 86microgrammes of alcohol in 100millilitres of breath when the legal limit is 35microgrammes of alcohol.

He pleaded guilty to exceeding the alcohol drink-drive limit.

Defence solicitor Mary Dixon said: “There was no evidence of bad driving. He found himself in the car after he had been out drinking.”

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She added that Barker has two jobs and on the evening in question he had had his first opportunity to go out with friends in Ripley and had got a taxi home.

However, Mrs Dixon explained that Barker had felt depressed and he has issues with anxiety and he got into the car with the possibility of intending to harm himself.

Magistrates fined Barker £253 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

He was also disqualified from driving for 20 months but if he completes a drink-drive rehabilitation course the ban could be reduced by 22 weeks.