Boozy Retford bar man caught during driving practice

Police spotted Matthew Page stalling a Silver Peugeot, on Ordsall Park Road, at 1.45am, on April 2.

He told officers he was practising driving the car up and down the road while his parents were away on holiday, said prosecutor Donna Fawcett.

A test revealed he had 69 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath when the legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

Matt Shepherd, mitigating, said Page, who had no previous convictions, was “very contrite”.

His parents had planned to transfer the car to him so he could take up a bar manager’s position in Tickhill, he explained, but the inevitable ban would stymie that career move.

“He has been out with friends and for whatever reason - and he can’t answer this - he formed the absurd decision to drive it up the road and back again.”

Mr Shepherd added that Page’s future bar work could be jeopardised if the licensing authority decides to revoke his license to serve alcohol following his conviction.

Page, 24, of Wharton Street, admitted driving with excess alcohol and without insurance, when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Wednesday.

He was fined £194, and must pay a £30 government surcharge and £85 costs.

He was banned for 18 months, but was offered a drink drive rehab course which will reduce the disqualification by 137 days if completed by April 2019.