Repeat drink-driver gets a 36 month ban from the road

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Monday, February 26, how Scott Baker, 25, of Gordon Crescent, South Normanton, was stopped by police on the A6 road at Matlock where he was breathalysed.

Prosecuting solicitor Emma Heath-Tilford said: “The defendant was pulled over driving a Honda Civic because he had faulty headlights.

“While the police were talking to him they asked him to take a breathalyser test at the roadside which he failed and he was taken to the police custody suite.”

Mrs Heath-Tilford added that Baker registered 57microgrammes of alcohol in 100millilitres of breath when the legal limit is 35microgrammes.

Baker pleaded guilty to exceeding the drink-drive limit after the incident on December 22 and he also admitted failing to surrender to custody for a previous hearing.

The court also heard that Baker has a previous drink-drive conviction.

Defence solicitor Kirsty Sargent said there was no bad driving involved and Baker fully complied with the police.

She added that he later failed to surrender to custody because he had been anticipating paperwork in the post despite being shown the hearing date and he had been staying at his partner’s address.

Ms Sargent said that at the time of the offence Baker had lost his employment at Stagecoach as a coach builder and there was an issue with his work agency and there were problems with his mum.

She added that he drove to collect a friend but he had drunk too much.

Magistrates fined baker £120 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

He was also banned from driving for 36 months but this could be reduced by 39 weeks if he completes a drink-drive course.