A REDDITCH man who was two-times the drink-drive limit has been given a 20-month ban after he left the handbrake off a hire car he was driving and it rolled into three other vehicles.
Alex Flood, 23, of Evesham Road, Astwood Bank, pleaded guilty at Redditch Magistrates Court on Tuesday (January 26) following the incident on January 11.
Flood broke his back after opening the door of the vehicle and trying to dive in to pull up on handbrake which led to the vehicle hitting him several times.
Police later found him walking near allotments and, to begin with, he tried to give officers a false name but later confirmed his correct details.
A roadside test recorded 91microgrammes in 100ml of breath and the official one at the police station was 87 in 100. The legal limit is 35.
The court heard Flood, who appeared in court wearing a back brace because of his injuries, had drank six or seven pints between 7pm and 11pm that evening before deciding to drive a mile and a half.
Defence solicitor Gary Harper said when asked why he had done it, he simply replied: ‘Because I’m an idiot’.
He argued Flood had learnt a very valuable lesson and, as well as admitting the offence, he had vowed not to drink-drive again in the future.
But chair of the bench Roger Warrington said: “You have said you will not drink-drive again in the future but the truth is you did it that night.”
As well as banning him for 20 months, he was fined £270 and was ordered to pay £135 costs and a £27 victim surcharge.
