A law student who was drink-driving on a bright yellow city e-scooter was "trying to help a friend" when he was spotted by police riding over tram tracks and falling over, a court heard.
Officers went to speak to Max Hinds-Foster to check on his welfare after his tumble from one of the popular for-hire distinctive Wind scooters.
Hinds-Foster, whose previous address was at Nottingham Trent University Halls in Nottingham, changed his not guilty plea to guilty on Tuesday, November 2, to drink-driving on an e-scooter.
He was in Waverley Street, Nottingham, on March 18 at 2.45am and as police spoke with Hinds-Foster, now of Oliver Close, Arboretum, it was apparent there was a smell of alcohol. It was suspected he may have been riding the e-scooter over the limit and a later breath test confirmed he was twice over the limit of 35 with a reading of 70 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
Hinds-Foster told Nottingham Magistrates' Court he got an e-scooter to find a friend who had lost his phone.
The friend was understood to be at a police station, so Hinds-Foster, whilst over the drink-drive limit, hopped on a scooter.
He visited two police stations in the city centre but his friend was not there. He was 30 seconds away from his home when he tried to put the scooter on the pavement and "fell off completely and wiped out".
"I wiped out and thought police were coming to help me and they got me in cuffs," he said. "It's just a mistake on my part. I was told there was a possibility I would not be charged."
Prosecutor Harbinder Gahir said Hinds-Foster was charged by police and properly brought before the court.
"He took the view he wanted a specialist defence expert regarding motoring matters as there was an issue on whether an e-scooter is classified as a mechanically propelled vehicle," explained Mr Gahir.
"It is classed as a mechanically propelled vehicle and you should have insurance to ride it on a road, unless on a private area."
He added that, if an e-scooter is privately-owned, insurance is needed - but the council-owned models are covered by the council in the fee to hire.
Second-year student Hinds-Foster, 19, was of previous good character and his income is a student loan.
He told magistrates: "I was trying to help my friend, to be honest."
He also explained he had originally pleaded not guilty, because there was a similar case to his in Newcastle, which ended up with the scooters being turned off at night.
Magistrates fined Hinds-Foster £162, imposed a 17-month driving ban and a victim surcharge of £34 and costs of £310.
He was offered a drink-drive rehabilitation course, which has to be completed by September 22, and this would reduce his ban by 129 days.
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