Drink driver crashed BMW on Sunderland roundabout hours after finishing 10-pint booze binge
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Kyle Chisholm, 23, of Coldstream Avenue, Southwick, Sunderland, crashed at the junction of Park Avenue and Chichester Road, Seaburn, at 8.30am.
He had downed between 10 and a dozen beers up to 1am on Saturday, October 10 – and then started driving to work, a court heard.
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Hide AdPolice were tipped off to the smash and found the mechanical technician still at the scene and fully compliant with their breath test request.
Despite his mammoth booze session, Chisholm gave a reading just one-and-a-half times the limit – but enough to land him a 15-month driving ban.
Magistrates in South Tyneside also heard he had been left to pick up the £2,500 costs of repairs, due to his crime invalidating his insurance.
Prosecutor Grace Taylor told the court: “Officers were flagged down by a member of the public and informed of a road traffic accident.
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Hide Ad“On arrival they saw that the defendant’s car had crashed onto the roundabout. He identified himself as the owner and the driver of the vehicle.
“His eyes were glazed and his speech was slurred and officers believed that he was intoxicated.
“He gave a roadside breath test and was taken to the station for a CAMIC test.
“The guideline is for a disqualification of between 12 and 16 months.”
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Hide AdAngus Westgarth, defending, said: “The night before he had had about 10 or 12 pints.
“Like many, he got up for work and thought that he was fine. It’s the morning after the night before.
“He should never have put himself into that position. I’m sure it’s a lesson well learned by Mr Chisholm.
“I’d like you to consider that it was naivety and not recklessness that put him in this position.”
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Hide AdChisholm, who pleaded guilty to drink-driving, gave a breath test reading of 54mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath. The legal limit is 35mcgs.
As well as his ban, he was fined £260 and must pay £85 court costs and a £34 victim surcharge.