Shropshire Star

Driver banned over reversing up M6 Toll

A drink-driver who reversed along the M6 Toll for more than a mile after getting lost and 'panicking' because he had little cash has been handed a community order and banned from driving for 21 months.

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Peter Harrison was stopped by police as he drove backwards up the slip road to the Norton Canes services, Cannock Magistrates Court heard were told.

The court heard that the 46-year-old, from Pelsall, 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 – more than twice the legal limit.

Harrison was seen in the Vauxhall Corsa just before midnight on July 7 when an officer was on mobile patrol.

Mr John Peel, prosecuting, said Harrison 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.

Harrison, of Avon Crescent, admitted driving a motor vehicle dangerously and when above the drink-drive limit.

Mr Brij Chaudhry, mitigating, told the court: "Mr Harrison is at pains to point out the consumption of alcohol.

"It was a Monday evening. It was not unduly excessive.

"On the Sunday, which is his usual social night out, he had had a fair amount of alcohol which may have some bearing on the reading."

In relation to the event of that night, Mr Chaudhry said he had been on the hard shoulder and no injury was caused, but accepted it was foolish.

He added: "He put his hazard lights on and slowly reverses back. The manor of the decision, the quite foolish decision taken on that night, is dangerous.

"Even to this day, he can't explain what was going through his mind."

He told a previous hearing that his client had suffered from previous anxiety and depression issues.

Passing sentence, Neil Lomas, chair of the bench of magistrates, told Harrison: "Your decision on this evening was particularly foolish and the consequences will be quite far reaching."

For driving a motor vehicle dangerously, Harrison was handed a 12-month community order, 200 hours unpaid work and was disqualified from driving for 14 months. He was also given a driving ban for 21 months for driving with excess alcohol, to run concurrently. Harrison was also fined £315 and ordered to pay costs of £85 and £60 victim surcharge.

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