Telford man spotted driving while three times over the limit
A man was caught more than three times the drink drive limit after drinking with golfing partners following the death of a close friend.
Paul Martin Smith had lost his friend days earlier and had met with friends but was unable to get a taxi home.
In a "moment of madness" he attempted to drive home but was spotted by police. The 47-year-old admitted one charge of drink driving when he appeared at Telford Magistrates Court.
Chris Coughlan, prosecuting. said that on January 28, he was spotted driving at speed near to the Hollinswood Interchange before heading towards the A442.
He was followed and stopped by police as he drove towards his home address of Cygnet Drive in Brookside, Telford.
Smith was found to have 107 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, more than three times the legal limit of 35 microgrammes.
Probation officer Phil Kaleta told the court he defendant had recently lost one of his close friends.
He met with friends for a day of golfing to celebrate his life and though he was not normally a drinker, had drunk to excess. He had tried to make other arrangements to get home before he got behind the wheel.
Smith was ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid work and given a community order for 12 months. He was also given the chance to attend a drink drive course and also ordered to pay court costs and a victim surcharge totalling £195.
