Drinker with late night hunger pangs caught drunk at wheel after popping to McDonald's in Washington

Jak Miller, 30, initially got home safely and without driving after going out on Friday, August 29, magistrates in South Tyneside were told. But Miller, of West Bridge Street, Houghton-le-Spring, later grew peckish and jumped into his private plated Audi A3 at around 1.45am the next day.

Police moved in to quiz him after seeing him nearly stall the motor outside the McDonald’s outlet at Washington's Peel Industrial Estate. A breath test after his arrest showed Miller, who is in employment, was over twice the legal alcohol limit.

Prosecutor John Garside said: “Police were on mobile patrol when they attended this McDonald’s. On entering the car park, they saw an Audi almost stall. They spoke to the driver, and he confirmed that he had consumed alcohol.

“He gave a positive roadside breath sample and was taken into custody. I can confirm that Mr Miller comes before the court with no previous convictions.”

Miller pleaded guilty to a charge of driving with excess alcohol. He gave a reading in breath for alcohol of 76mcg. The legal limit is 35mcg.

Harry Burn, defending, said: “At 10pm he was in Sunderland, and he got a lift back home, but at 2am, he decided, foolishly, to go to McDonald’s to get some food. He asks the court for the rehabilitation programme, he would like to take part in that. It’s as simple as that.”

Magistrates banned Miller from driving for 19 months and fined him £438, with a £175 victim surcharge and £85 court costs. John Lee, chair of the bench, told him: “You’ve made a catastrophic mistake.

“There’s been drivers who think that it’s early in the morning and they’ll take a chance, it’s not very far, and what’s happened is they’ve got caught by police coming the other way. You probably knew that you’d had a drink and shouldn’t have been out there. You’re going to have to face the consequences.”

Magistrates offered Miller a place on a ban-reducing drink driver rehabilitation programme.