Drink driver caused £20k damage to his Bentley after 100-yard journey in Mapperley

A Bentley driver had to spend £20,000 to repair his own vehicle and a wall after he crashed when drink-driving.

Neville Ball drank three-quarters of a bottle of gin and tonic before he drove just 100 yards to a shop to buy more drink, Nottingham Magistrates' Court heard.

But on his way home he approached a gated community facility where the gate opens with a phone code.

Ball, 60, of Springfield Pastures, Mapperley, dropped his phone and the Bentley rolled forwards and hit the gate.

The court heard he crashed into the front gate and a front wall on January 20 at 8.35pm.

"It involved the police being sent out," said Daniel Pietryka, prosecuting. "They mentioned about slurred and broken speech".

Ball went on to plead guilty to drink-driving in Springfield Pastures in a Bentley Continental when he had 91 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, over the limit of 35.

"He mentioned he had been drinking due to a bereavement," added Mr Pietryka.

In mitigation, the court was told Ball was last in trouble eight years ago and has no previous convictions for an offence of this nature.

"Regarding the incident, the defendant had very upsetting news that day," added his lawyer. "Unfortunately, not one bereavement but two. One friend died in a Quad bike accident. Another friend had taken his own life. So he was in very upsetting personal circumstances.

"He drank the gin and tonic, you have heard. He took a short journey to the shop and back.

"The gate at the front of the gated community has a facility to be opened with a phone code to the gate. Unfortunately, he dropped his phone whilst doing that, and whilst trying to pick up the phone. The vehicle rolled forward and hit the gate. The defendant wasn't injured.

"He has spent money on repairs to the wall and £20,000 to have his own vehicle repaired".

He is retired and on a pension and receives £2,500 a month.

He was fined £769, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £76 and prosecution costs of £85. He was banned from driving for 25 months which will be reduced if he completes the drink drive rehabilitation course.

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