A man has admitted to being in charge of a vehicle on the A1(M) whilst unfit through drink.

Hayden Hutchinson pleaded guilty to the offence during a hearing at Harrogate Magistrates Court on Thursday (October 16).

Sarah Tyrer, prosecuting, told the court police were called to a collision on the A1(M) just after 12.30am on April 5 this year.

The collision happened between junctions 50 and 51.

Police arrived at the scene just before 1am and found a heavy-goods vehicle that had been involved in the crash stationary on the hard shoulder.

A Ford Focus, which had also been involved in the collision, was stationary in lane three of the northbound carriage.

Ms Tyrer said a National Highways officer at the scene told police the Ford Focus driver – Hutchinson – was still sitting in the driver’s seat and suspected he was drunk.

The court heard the car’s rear brake lights and reverse lights kept “going on and off”, before the car “jerked” when police approached it.

“Officers do not say the car ever moved”, Ms Tyrer added.

Hutchinson, of Windsor Road in Seaham, Durham, was sitting in the front seat with the ignition switched on and the car in gear.

Police asked Hutchinson to provide a roadside breath sample but he refused, so he was originally arrested for failing to provide a specimen for analysis.

As the car’s airbags had been deployed, the defendant was taken to Harrogate District Hospital to be checked over.

Hutchinson later provided a blood sample to police, which recorded 113 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, Ms Tyrer told the magistrates.

The legal limit is 80 milligrams.

Despite being over the limit, Hutchinson, 24, was not charged with drink-driving and was instead charged with being in charge of a vehicle whilst unfit through drink.

‘Hopefully, this was a blip’

Mr Coleman, defending, reiterated to the magistrates Hutchinson’s blood alcohol level was recorded as 113 milligrams at the time.

However, he said the defendant is a man of previous good character and worked in the army after leaving school.

When he left the army, Hutchinson became a welder and then took on a role as a driver, but he has since lost his job.

Mr Coleman told the court:

Hutchinson also had a clean driving licence prior to the offence.

The magistrates ordered Hutchinson to pay a total of £197 to the court, comprising an £80 fine, a £32 surcharge and £85 in prosecution costs.

Ten penalty points were also added to his licence.