Drink-driver ‘was trying to get to hospital’

A MAN whose life has been beset by leg injuries drove drunk because he feared he had broken another bone, a court heard.

Paul Price, 47, was three-and- a-half times the drink-drive limit when he was spotted driv- ing a car at night without lights, veering across the road and hit- ting kerbs.

Brighton Magistrates’ Court was told he had had a lifetime of surgery and complications over his leg and hip.

When he fell over at home while fitting a lampshade he decided to drive himself to hos- pital even though he had drunk half a bottle of vodka.

He got into his Ford Focus car outside his home in Sutherland Road, Brighton, at 7.30pm on March 21.

A member of the public called police with the car’s reg- istration number after seeing him hit a kerb.

When Sussex Police went to the house, Price was struggling to get out of the car. He had hit two other cars while parking.

He said he had turned around and driven home after realising he was too drunk to drive.

Martyn Williams, defending Price, told the court Price had dislocated his hip and broken two bones in his leg when he was four. He needed a metal plate inserting and had several more operations as a teenager and young adult. Four years ago he broke his leg again.

Magistrates banned Price from driving for 29 months, ordered him to do 100 hours’ unpaid work, pay £85 costs and spend four weeks living under a curfew.

Comments(11)

All 9 of me says...
8:47am Sat 5 May 12

3 times the limit should equal a lifetime ban, chancers like these with lame (excuse pun) excuses for getting behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol should never be permitted to drive again.

mimseycal says...
8:49am Sat 5 May 12

Agreed! No excuses, no mitigations, no traumatic childhood incidents.

ShorehamBeachcomber says...
9:00am Sat 5 May 12

the sentence 'Drink 10 vodkas before attempting to fit' should really be removed from the lampshade instruction booklet

Ballroom Blitz says...
12:00pm Sat 5 May 12

All 9 of me wrote:
3 times the limit should equal a lifetime ban, chancers like these with lame (excuse pun) excuses for getting behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol should never be permitted to drive again.
Agree 100%. But he'll probably be offered an alcohol awareness course, which will then reduce his ban by 6 months or so.
It was much better when a year's ban was a year's ban - end of.

MuammarQaddafi says...
1:33pm Sat 5 May 12

While I sympathise with Mr Price, being a chronic pain sufferer myself, I have to say his poor judgment has earned him a just penalty. No matter how much pain you are in, drunk driving can cause an accident which will increase it and may take someone else down with you.

cookie_brighton says...
2:39pm Sat 5 May 12

What about sentencing him to retake his driving test.
3 and a half times over the drink drive limit is disgusting.
He said....he was trying to get to hospital.....driving with that amount of alcohol in his blood would have probably helped him to get there...by ambulance... and innocent joe public also.
He also said....He turned around and.... DRIVEN HOME AFTER REALISING HE WAS TOO DRUNK TO DRIVE
What an irresponsible man...HE KNEW that he was too drunk to drive......therefore he should have been ordered to retake his driving test.

mimseycal says...
2:48pm Sat 5 May 12

Banned for life if you ask me. A car is a potential weapon, drink driving is tantamount to w(e)aving a loaded weapon about.

diriky says...
1:31am Sun 6 May 12

as a teetotaler for the last couple of years I think drink driving is not just dangerous but unforgivable !! being in pain everyday myself I can sympathise but do not condone why the heck not just phone an ambulance?

Wendywoodlandh says...
11:36am Sun 6 May 12

Yes i agree with all diriky as I teetotaller because my medication ,and in pain lower limbs. Why the heck did he not ring 999 ,but 1/2 bottle vodka ?? He still has no reason to jump in car & do what he did .so hope the court take,s his licence .ihave to use pulic transport now .

John Steed says...
12:18pm Sun 6 May 12

he has an alcohol problem. the ban should be indefinate, no chance of a license until at least two years of total abstinance. and that goes for anyone convicted of drink driving for a 2nd time or more, or anyone with a reading double or higher.
its time to face the reality of the danger of these idiots

John Steed says...
12:19pm Sun 6 May 12

he has an alcohol problem. the ban should be indefinate, no chance of a license until at least two years of total abstinance. and that goes for anyone convicted of drink driving for a 2nd time or more, or anyone with a reading double or higher.
its time to face the reality of the danger of these idiots

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