Sutton drink driver's second offence in 40 years

A Sutton drink driver who was arrested at the wheel after downing six pints of beer revealed it was his second offence in 40 years, a court heard.
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Police were waiting for Phillip Ryan near his home on Milldale Walk, at 7pm, on August 27, when he drove back from B&Q, after a session in the pub.

A test revealed he had 104 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, when the legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

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Ryan, 59, admitted driving with excess alcohol when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Thursday.

Probation officer Cheryl Nisbet said: “He thinks he misjudged the strength of the beer he was drinking. But nevertheless he knows he was well over the limit and he made the decision to drive to B&Q.”

She told the court the joiner revealed he had been convicted of drink driving 40 years earlier.

District judge Andrew Meachin told him: “You were nearly three times over the legal limit. That means you were a lethal weapon quite frankly.

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“You are fortunate there were no other aggravating features, because with a reading this high you could go to prison.

“All credit to you for your honesty. It highlights how serious these matters can be.”

Ryan was given a 12 month community order, with 100 hours of unpaid work, and was ordered to pay £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.

He was banned for two years, but was offered a drink drive rehabilitation course, which will reduce the disqualification by 182 days, if completed by January 2019.

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