Clowne man was over limit

Christopher Wain, 30, damaged a fence post as he reversed his car along Westlea at around 10pm on 13th October.

A witness saw the Ford Mondeo reversing fast as if it was racing. She heard a loud crash and it then reversed into parking bays at the end of the street.

“Her father and another neighbour ran over to the driver and shouted for him to stop but he did a wheel spin and drove up Westlea at speed.”

“It had damaged her father’s fence post.

“There was a passenger in the vehicle who she recognised as Richard Wain,” Helen Griffiths, prosecuting, told Chesterfield magistrates.

Police went to the driver’s home just before 11pm and he admitted he had been drinking, saying: “I know I’ve been stupid.”

He went on to give a reading of 80mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath - more than double the 35mcgs limit.

Wain, formerly of Barton Street, Clowne, and now of Springfield Close, Clowne, admitted drink-driving. He had no previous convictions.

He was fined £357, with £85 costs, and handed a 22-month road ban, to be cut to 17 months if he passes a drink-driving rehabilitation course.

Julian Hammond, for Wain, said he had recently split up with his partner and was feeling ‘down.’

His brother wanted to use his computer and he foolishly decided to drive a short distance to fetch it.

“The incident is more than unfortunate.”

“He is a driver/labourer and was about to progress to being a Class 2 and 1 HGV driver but the disqualification will prevent that happening,” said Mr Hammond.