A man who was found to be almost three times the drink drive limit in the late afternoon has been banned from driving for two years.
Peter John Donaldson, 56, of Hartley Close in Higher Kinnerton, admitted driving with 103 microgrammes of alcohol in his breath compared to the legal limit of 35 at 3.50 p.m. on December 3.
Donaldson told police that he had not drunk any alcohol that day but that he had some wine the previous evening.
He was banned from driving for 24 months, placed on a 12 month community order and carry out 100 hours unpaid work.
The defendant, who represented himself, said that he had since stopped drinking.
“I can guarantee that I am not drinking alcohol. I am pleased with myself that I don’t need it,” he explained.
Flintshire magistrates’ court at Mold was told that on the afternoon of December 3 police had been informed of a possible drink driver following information given to Crime Stoppers and kept observations for a Rover car.
They followed the vehicle in Higher Kinnerton and saw the defendant turn onto the driveway of a house.
He told officers that he had not drunk any alcohol that day but had some wine the night before.
The defendant was arrested after he provided a positive breath test at the scene and he blew the 103 reading at the police station.
Interviewed, he said that since his divorce 12 years ago he had been drinking one or two bottles of wine a night.
The court heard that he had no previous convictions.
Probation officer Tracey Flavell said that the defendant had not considered that he was drink driving that day.
At the time he was drinking one or two bottles of wine a night and told how before his arrest, his last drink was 11 pm. the night before.
He appreciated the potential consequences of drink driving.
The defendant had been an IT training manager for 20 years, gave up in order to look after his father in the Bournemouth area and was currently seeking employment.
He did not feel that alcohol was a problem for him and had stopped drinking since the offence took place.
