Drinking ban after '˜very slight collision'

Stuart Matthew Barnett, 42, of Vessey Road, admitted drink driving at Mansfield Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

The court heard Barnett had been out with friends on New Year’s Eve and had parked his Fiat Scudo van in the car park of the Shireoaks Inn.

David Verity, mitigating, said: “He is unable to drink much after a road accident 20 years ago in which a friend died.

“He was hospitalised with severe injuries and his memory was affected. He drank about four pints of lager which was probably stronger than he realised.

“He tried to get a taxi without any success. He thought he would stay in his van overnight and fell asleep but was woken by youths messing about outside.

“He then made the wrong decision to drive home.”

The ‘very slight collision’ happened when a car in front of him stopped sharply on Watson Road, Worksop. He was found to have 85 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, when the legal limit is 35.

He was disqualified from driving for 18 months and ordered to pay costs and a fine.