Motorway drink driver panicked over toll fee
A drink driver reversed along the M6 Toll for more than a mile after getting lost and "panicking" because he had little cash and didn't know how much it would cost, a court heard.
Peter Harrison was stopped by police as he drove the wrong way up the slip road to the motorway's services, close to the junction with the M6 and M54.
The 46-year-old had reached a toll plaza but then decided to reverse back along the hard shoulder to the services.
He was spotted by an officer and when tested, found to have 82 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35mg.
During a hearing at Cannock Magistrates Court, Harrison, of Avon Crescent, Pelsall, near Walsall, admitted driving a motor vehicle dangerously and when above the drink drive limit.
He was given an interim driving disqualification but the case was adjourned for sentencing.
Mr John Peel, prosecuting, said Harrison was seen in the Vauxhall Corsa just before midnight on July 7 this year when an officer was on mobile patrol. He said that Harrison had told police that he had only consumed one-and-a-half pints on that evening, and had lost his way home. But accepted his actions were dangerous.
Mr Brij Chaudhry, defending, said:
He is travelling home, he loses his way and ends up on the M6 Toll Road. He has never been on before.
"He starts panicking, he has little funds, he doesn't know how much the Toll costs. He has never been in that situation before.
"He takes a most foolish decision and reverses to that service area so he can try and get his bearings." Mr Chaudhry
added: "There was no accident or injury to any person. It was late at night, the traffic was light." Magistrates decided a report was necessary before passing sentencing and Harrison was bailed to appear again today.
