Sunderland drink driver ordered to stay alcohol free for 120 days after crashing in Herrington Country Park while four times over limit

Michael Hibbert, 41, of The Poplars, Penshaw, cannot touch a drop until Wednesday, July 13 – or risk being hauled back into court.

Magistrates in South Tyneside punished him with an alcohol abstinence order, monitored by a medical tag, after hearing of his actions.

Hibbert parked a mobility vehicle at Herrington Country Park while sober on Tuesday, February 8 – but then drank a bottle of vodka.

He had planned to sleep it off but realised he was in a bay for disabled drivers and had forgotten to bring the vehicle’s Blue Badge.

In attempting to move to another space just feet away, he collided with two vehicles.

Police found him in the driver’s seat of the Nissan Qashqai, with an empty bottle, and the dashboard lights on.

A breath test showed 146mcg of alcohol in 100mls of breath – a reading for which he could have been jailed. The legal limit is 35mcg.

Prosecutor Emma O’Hegarty told the court: “The caller to police said a male appeared intoxicated and there was a bottle of vodka in the car.

“When an officer attended, the defendant was sitting in the Nissan. He said that he was sorry and that he was drunk.

“A Citroen Berlingo had damage to its front and a Skoda scratches along its passenger side.”

Hibbert, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to drink-driving.

Tom Morgan, defending, said of Hibbert: “He had driven to that location sober and then consumed a significant amount of alcohol.

“He was in a Motability vehicle and realised that he didn’t have the Blue Badge with him.

“He decided to relocate the vehicle to a space that was not allocated to a disability driver.

“The distance he has driven is well within the boundaries of this court.”

Hibbert was also banned from driving for three years and given a four-month community order.

He must also pay a £95 victim surcharge as well as £85 court costs.