Disabled man's mercy mission in Mansfield ends with driving ban

A disabled Mansfield man who drove to the rescue of a family friend who had collapsed with a blood clot on his lung has been banned for drink driving, a court heard.
Mansfield Magistrates CourtMansfield Magistrates Court
Mansfield Magistrates Court

David Mayer’s Nissan X-Trail was spotted driving in circles around Wilkinson’s car park, at 2.20am, on June 17, and police were called.

A test revealed he had 67 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, when the legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

Michael Little, mitigating, said Mayer had met with the relatives of a recently-deceased friend when he received a call from the owner of the Lexis night club, which he helped build 30 years ago.

“A family friend had collapsed inside the night club and he went to pick him up,” said Mr Little.

“He was driving in circle because the barrier had closed and he was trying to find the exit.”

His friend was taken to hospital, where he stayed for four days to be treated for a blood clot on his lung.

Mayer doesn’t normally drink, Mr Little said, as he has to take 27 tablets every day because of health conditions including angina and a bullet lodged in his spine, for which he awaits surgery.

“He says he was trying to do the right thing for a family friend,” Mr Little said, adding that Mayer, who is registered disabled, would have no means of visiting hospital or going shopping, after the inevitable driving ban.

Mayer, 58, of Leeming Lane South, admitted drink driving when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Wednesday.

He was fined £400, and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £40 government surcharge.

He was banned for 16 weeks, but was offered a rehabilitation course which will cut the disqualification by 122 days if completed by May next year.

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