A drink driver was snared after he was spotted travelling with a defective brake light - while on route to get more booze.
Despite having already had a couple of cans of lager, Jamie Stewart got behind the wheel of his Vauxhall Astra in order to go to a shop to buy more alcohol. However, due to his brake lights not working properly, the 49-year-old soon came to the attention of a police officer, a court was told.
Stewart, of Prior Road, in Berwick, was stopped on Dene Drive, also in the Northumberland town, and was arrested after he failed a roadside breath test. He has now been banned from the roads for 17 months after he appeared at South East Northumberland Magistrates' Court to plead guilty to driving with excess alcohol.
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Rehana Haque, prosecuting, said officers were on duty in a marked car at around 8.10pm on March 24 this year when they spotted Stewart's Vauxhall Astra. She added: "They noticed the defendant's vehicle because it had a defective brake light.
"They caught up with it and illuminated their lights. There was another member of public pulled over, causing the defendant's vehicle to stop. The officers spoke to the defendant and he confirms he's had two cans a couple of hours ago."
The court heard that Stewart gave a reading of 60mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath when the legal limit is just 35mcg. Stewart Hay, defending, said Stewart thought he was fine to drive and was on his way to buy some more cans.
Mr Hay continued: "He thought he was alright and clearly he misjudged it. It was a short distance. There's no aggravating factors in terms of his driving."
Magistrates also fined Stewart £120 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £48 victim surcharge.
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