Drink driver resigned to fate after crashing car near Stroud

A DRINK driver who crashed in fog after downing several cans of lager resigned himself to being caught over the limit, a court heard.

Robert Ian Wood waited next to his damaged Peugeot 107, knowing police would breathalyse him, prosecutor Peter Ashby told Stroud Magistrates' Court.

"He had drunk between four and five cans of strong lager," said Mr Ashby.

"He had initially stopped and drank a can, then moved on towards Tom Long's Post on Minchinhampton Common.

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"Because of the fog he failed to negotiate a junction and the car left the road.

"He waited for police to arrive."

A breath test showed he was almost three times the legal drink drive limit. He gave a sample containing 104 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

"In interview he admitted he had been the driver, and that he had crashed his car," said Mr Ashby.

Wood, 59, of Farriers Croft, Bussage, near Stroud, admitted driving while above the alcohol limit.

Neil Meachem, defending, did not excuse his client's actions but in mitigation said he had suffered a divorce, the loss of his job, and his son moving to Edinburgh which made him isolated and lonely.

"This is a most unfortunate episode for Mr Wood, not least because of his hitherto unblemished character," said Mr Meachem. "However there is no excuse for drink driving."

He said his client apologised for his actions.

An interim driving ban was imposed, and the case was adjourned to January 7 at Cheltenham Magistrates' Court while probation reports are prepared.