Man banned from roads after being found nearly four times the drink drive limit in car he called home
A Sunderland man caught boozing in the car he called home has been banned from the roads – despite not driving and claiming to not intend to.
Stuart Dorward, 46, was almost four times the drink drive limit when found sitting in his blue BMW in Blind Lane, Silksworth, on Friday, July 4.
Scattered around the vehicle were empty beer cans and his keys were in the ignition, prosecutor Jade Houston told magistrates in South Tyneside.
Homeless Dorward used the car to live in and claimed to have disabled its engine mechanisms before boozing so it could not be moved.
Because he was not seen driving, he was charged with being in charge of a motor vehicle while above the alcohol limit.
He denied the allegation but was found guilty at a trial at the same court in January.
Dorward, who is not now living in his vehicle but is still of no fixed abode, returned to the same court to be sentenced - and was banned from driving for six months.
Ms Houston said: “Officers attended Blind Lane, due to a report of a drunk male who had just bought a box of lager and was in a car.
“Police found the keys in the ignition, and there were empty cans in the car. He was breath tested and taken to the police station.”
Unemployed mechanic Dorward gave a reading in breath for alcohol of 133mcg. The legal limit is 35mcg.
Angus Westgarth, defending, told magistrates it was the second time Dorward had been convicted of the same offence and he had kept his licence after being given 10 penalty points.
Of his latest offence, he said: “Your colleagues found him guilty on the last occasion but said they weren’t considering custody.
“It was explained that he was living in the car and was consuming alcohol, but that he was never intending to drive. He’s been homeless and was living in his car.
“He had moved the car to an area where he knew there were cameras so it would assist him if there were any problems.
“He told the court he had disabled the car so there was no suggestion that he could move it.”
Magistrates also sentenced Dorward to an 18-month community order, with 20 rehabilitation days, with £300 court costs and a £114 victim surcharge.