Kirkby man's three car smash after pub

Benjamin Docherty, 34, of Laburnum Avenue, Kirkby, admitted driving while over the legal limit when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

The court heard that Docherty was driving his blue Mitsubishi Coupe on Skegby Road, in Kirkby, on July 10, when he hit a Ford Focus that was performing a three point turn and then a Citroen Picasso which was parked nearby.

Ruth Snodin, prosecuting, said: “When he drove down the road at speed, he said the driver of the Focus didn’t have her lights on.

“She passed the roadside test. He had 82 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath when the legal limit is 35 microgrammes.”

He told police he drank three pints of Strongbow in the Nag’s Head pub over a four-hour period.

Steven Williams, mitigating, said: “Mr Docherty is devastated to be before the court. He has three points on his licence after 12 years of driving. “

He said Docherty had helped a woman who had fallen ill outside the pub and was shaken up when he got into his car.

“He is absolutely certain there were no lights on the Ford Focus,” Mr Williams added.

He was banned for 18 months, fined £300 and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £30 victim surcharge.