Sunderland motorist crashed into lamppost after downing eight bottles of Budweiser
A Sunderland dad who downed eight bottles of Budweiser then crashed into a lamppost while driving his children home has been spared jail.
Andrew Davidson, 37, was seen travelling at up to an estimated 80mph shortly before he lost control on a bend on the A1290 Downhill Lane on October 2.
When breathalysed, Davidson, of Belstone Court, New Silksworth, gave a reading for booze of over three times the limit, South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard.
He admitted in court via a Probation Service report it had been “the worst decision of my life” to drive and his own solicitor described it as “not his finest hour”.
The forklift driver pleaded guilty to charges of drink driving, driving without a licence and driving without insurance.
District Judge Zoe Passfield jailed him for eight weeks but allowed him to keep his liberty by suspending the sentence for a year.
The judge ordered him to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and stay alcohol free for 90 days, being monitored by a booze reading tag, and he is now banned from driving for 30 months.
She told him the offence was aggravated by having children with him and that he had appeared at the same court for another recent drink-related vehicle offence.
Prosecutor John Garside said: “The defendant had been driving a Vauxhall Astra motor vehicle and has collided with a lamppost and some shrubbery.
“Police have arrived, and two children were in the vehicle at the time of the collision.
“One witness stated they saw the vehicle travelling at 70 or 80mph and failing to negotiate a bend, leaving the road and colliding with the lamppost.
“He said that the headlights of another car had got in his eyes.
“He also said he had drunk at a friend’s house and had consumed eight cans of Budweiser, before driving home.”
Davidson gave a reading in breath for alcohol of 119mcg. The legal limit is 35mcg.
Annalisa Moscardini, defending, said: “He has gone through the break-up with his partner over the past few months. They have four children.
“He dealt with it badly and used alcohol as a crutch. It has not been his finest hour.”
Davidson must also pay a £154 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.