Notts drink driver told court he was 'grassed up' by his neighbour after he drove to the shop 'after a few beers'

Daniel Roy Ablitt was spoken to on his drive by police officers after they received a report from a member of the public that he was driving while drunk on July 19 this year, Nottingham Magistrates’ Court was told on Friday, October 16.

The 36-year-old father-of-three, of Forest Road, Clipstone, admitted drink driving when he appeared before the court.

Prosecuting, Ann Barett told the court: “It was around 6.40pm when police received notification of a motorist driving under the influence of alcohol.

“They followed him and he pulled up at his home address. He failed a roadside breath test and was arrested and taken to the police station.”

The shop worker blew 60mg of alcohol to 100ml of breath when breathalysed at the police station when the legal limit is 35mg - making him almost twice over the limit.

Speaking in his own defence, Ablitt said: “It was an absolutely stupid thing to do. I didn’t actually get pulled over for drink driving, I was pulled over for speeding.

“I was already on my driveway and the police officer came up to me and asked me why I was going a bit fast.

“I know it was my neighbour who grassed me up. I wasn’t thinking and I’d had a couple of beers and I jumped in the car and went to the shop.”

Magistrates fined Ablitt £145 and ordered him to pay £85 in prosecution costs and a £34 victim surcharge.

They also banned him from driving for 16 months.

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