Boozed-up Derbyshire man with a Queen’s Honour is caught at over twice the drink-drive limit

A much-respected man who fights poverty in under-privileged parts of Africa has been caught drink-driving at more than twice the legal limit.
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Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on July 16 how Andrew Charles Kingman, 53, of Windsor Road, Fairfield, Buxton, had been drinking during the evening and had returned home by taxi but went out again to get his car because he had left his golf clubs in the vehicle.

Prosecuting solicitor Becky Allsop said: “The police received a call from a concerned member of the public on June 28 in the early hours of the morning.”

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Mrs Allsop added that Kingman, who has an MBE Queen’s Honour, had been seen going to drive and the witness had tried to stop him and described the defendant as being in the worst drunken condition they had seen.

Drink-driving breathalyser.Drink-driving breathalyser.
Drink-driving breathalyser.

Police found Kingman’s Vauxhall Astra parked partially on a kerb with Kingman slouched in the driver’s seat asleep with the car bonnet still warm, according to Mrs Allsop.

Kingman told police he had driven the car and that he was over the drink-drive limit and he registered 95microgrammes of alcohol in 100millilitres of breath when the legal limit is 35microgrammes.

The defendant pleaded guilty to exceeding the alcohol drink-drive limit in Buxton.

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Chesterfield magistrates' court.Chesterfield magistrates' court.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.

Kingman told police he had been out all evening and had consumed two pints in pubs, shared two bottles of wine with friends and had drank more wine and a whisky later.

The defendant had got a taxi home with his wife but he did not want to leave his car so he returned to the vehicle and admitted drink-driving.

Defence solicitor James Riley said Kingman had arranged to get home by taxi but out of concern for golf clubs in his car he went back to Buxton town centre to get his car.

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Mr Riley added: “It was a grave error of judgement but it was not on a basis of going out from pub-to-pub.

“For a man of his previous good character and experience it was a grave error of judgement.

“He has spent the majority of his life working for impoverished communities of the world - mostly in Africa.”

Mr Riley added that Kingman was also awarded an MBE Queen’s Honour for the work he does for the impoverished especially in Africa.

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Magistrates fined Kingman £692 and ordered him to pay a £69 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

He was also disqualified from driving for 24 months but if he completes a drink-drive rehabilitation course he can reduce the ban by 26 weeks.