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04
Apr
Man who 'wanted to be one of the lads' admits drink-driving in Ripon
A man who was nearly three-times the drink-drive limit appeared at Harrogate Magistrates Court on Thursday (April 3).
Nicholas Dell, of Station Drive in Ripon, pleaded guilty to one count of drink-driving.
Kaye Barnard, prosecuting, told the court police officers saw a car that had turned onto Camp Hill Close in Ripon at around 3.30am on March 16.
Officers approached the car to conduct a welfare check. They found the defendant, who was driving the car, smelled of alcohol and his eyes were "glazed over".
Dell was arrested and taken into custody, where he recorded 103 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – the legal limit being just 35 micrograms.
Defendant ‘wants alcohol out of his life completely’
Mr Molloy, defending, told the court the 39-year-old defendant had driven to see his parents before the offence.
When on his way home, he drove past The Navigation Inn in Ripon. Dell had recently been told it had been refurbished, so he went in to see what it looked like.
The court heard some of Dell’s work colleagues came into the pub whilst he was in there and he “wanted to get to know them a bit better”.
The defendant offered to give his colleagues a lift into Ripon, as he claimed to have only had one drink.
Mr Molloy added:
Mr Dell parked his car and went into another pub in the city centre. When he was walking back, he saw his car was parked on the street and thought he could not leave it there, so he made the bad decision to drive and move it.
Mr Dell drove less than a mile and, when he pulled over, he was aware the police were nearby. When the police officers asked him to get out of the car, he panicked and he tripped from the adrenaline.
He said having handcuffs on him at his age was horrific.
Mr Molloy told the court Dell has since sought help from a doctor.
"Mr Dell has decided he wants alcohol out of his life completely", the court heard.
Defendant 'realises the danger he put people in'
The case was stood down for a pre-sentence report.
A probation officer later told the court Dell admitted to drinking alcohol at the pub but he was not intending to drive.
However, as he did not want to get a parking ticket, he decided to move his car.
Dell told the officer he had drunk around four Jack Daniel's and cokes, plus beer, before getting behind the wheel.
The probation officer said:
The defendant admits wanting to get to know his work colleagues better and said he ‘wanted to be one of the lads’.
He realises the danger he put people in - he is very remorseful.
Dell did not cite any problems with his physical or mental health, the officer added.
The magistrates sentenced Dell to a 12-month community order, during which he must complete 15 rehabilitation activity days and wear an alcohol abstinence monitoring tag for 90 days.
He was also banned from driving for 25 months, which would be reduced by 25 weeks if he completes a drink-driving course.
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