Motorist caught drink-driving said police were 'absolutely amazing'

A drink-driver who had slid off the road in snowy conditions praised police for the way they handled the incident.
A drink-driving breathalyser.A drink-driving breathalyser.
A drink-driving breathalyser.

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Wednesday, March 21, how Alan Dobson, 65, of Rotherham Road, Killamarsh, was found in the vehicle with another male on the A618 Mansfield Road, at Killamarsh.

Prosecuting solicitor Justine Claxton said: “On March 2, this year, on the A618 stretch about 7.20pm, police came across a vehicle that had slid off the road due to snowy conditions.

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“Inside the vehicle were two males. The driver was the defendant and police noticed his speech was slurred and he was unsteady on his feet when he got out of the vehicle.”

Dobson co-operated with the police and was found to be over the drink-drive limit after taking a breath test procedure, according to Ms Claxton.

The court heard how the defendant registered 64microgrammes of alcohol in 100millilitres of breath after a further test at the police station when the legal limit is 35microgrammes.

Dobson pleaded guilty to exceeding the alcohol drink-drive limit.

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He told the court: “It was a stupid and dangerous decision. Obviously because of my age I am expecting a lengthy ban and I have decided I won’t be driving again.”

The defendant added: “The car was not used often and because of what happened, and because I will be coming up 70 I won’t be driving again and because of the cost implications and everything else.

“The only other thing is I had open-heart surgery two years ago and I had to pack in any part-time work so I have no means of getting any extra funding.”

Mr Dobson also said: “Killamarsh police were absolutely amazing on the night in question. They were absolutely perfect.”

Magistrates fined Dobson £297 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

He was also disqualified from driving for 36 months.