A PENSIONER who crashed his car into a house in Malvern while four times over the drink-drive limit has been given a four months suspended prison sentence.
David Collins, of Leigh Sinton Road, Malvern Link, pleaded guilty at Worcester Magistrates’ Court on Friday (November 27) to driving with 142 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The limit is 35 microgrammes.
Adrian Jones, prosecuting, told the court the 68-year-old crashed his blue Kia Rio into the front of a house in Lower Interfields, off Leigh Sinton Road at around 9.30pm on November 9, causing extensive damage to the window.
Defending, Waleed Khan said: “Before the incident happened, Collins had visited his nephew who had recently lost his mother. He was drinking whisky from 10am and decided to drive home.
“It was out of character for him to commit the offence. He has had a licence for 50 years and has never breached any terms of that licence.
“In an interview with police he said: ‘I was there to help someone but instead I ended up getting into trouble’.
“He was worried about telling his family because he was in the ‘doghouse’ as he says, with his wife. Since the crash, he has been suffering from depression and his son has not talked to him.
“In his 68 years, Collins has never been before the courts, I doubt very much that you will see him again.”
Chair of the Magistrates, David Shadwell, said: “This drink-drive offence is of a very high level and is very serious.”
Collins was banned from driving for 34 months and must complete a ten-day rehabilitation requirement. He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £135, a victim surcharge of £80 and court charges of £150.
