Sunderland dad spared jail for driving to see son on Father's Day while almost three-times the limit

Paul Potts, 30, of Dinsdale Street, Roker, Sunderland, jumped in his white Ford Focus after attending a barbecue on Sunday, June 21, a court heard.

But he was pulled over by police in Leechmere Road, also Sunderland, in the 2011-registered motor on his way to his ex-partner’s home.

South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard a roadside breath test showed 96 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

The self-employed joiner and roofer has now been handed a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months – and a three-year driving ban.

District Judge Kathryn Meek told him: “You clearly can make the right decision most of the time, but why you would think that your son would want to see you drunk on Father’s Day, I don’t know.”

Jason Smith, defending, said: “He accepts that he was drunk and shouldn’t have been driving the vehicle.

“I don’t think that he has a reasonable excuse. It was his car.

“There were some child care issues and I’m told that he needed to get to where he needed to go to.

“He was told in no uncertain terms by his ex-partner to sort out child care.

“He’s made a very serious mistake and he’s driven which he shouldn’t have.”

Mr Smith added: “He had no intention of putting anyone in the car.

“It was Father’s Day and he had been out at a barbecue. He wasn’t going to pick his son up.

“He took it upon himself to see his child. He made an horrendous mistake for which he will pay heavily.

“He has a previous conviction and he knows the risk of drink-driving.”

In giving details of Potts’ offence to the court, the Probation Service described his decision to drive as “very poor”.

Potts, who pleaded guilty to drink-driving at a previous hearing, must also do 200 hours of unpaid work and pay a £128 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.

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