Five-year ban for repeat drink driver from Telford

Lee Timon, 51, admitted driving while over the limit earlier this year and was sentenced at Telford Magistrates Court.

He has two previous convictions for drink-driving.

Magistrates heard that on the evening of May 4, Timon drove his Vauxhall Astra in Telford and hit a road sign on Shutfield Road, Aqueduct, before driving to his sister's house in nearby Garbett Road.

Prosecuting, Abigail Hall told the court that police got a call from a member of the public about the road sign, and that on arrival the person told them which direction the Astra had driven off in.

Ms Hall said: "PC Hobden found the car parked outside an address on Garbett Road, where two men were changing one of the car's tyres. These men told the PC that Mr Timon was inside the property.

"At that point a female appeared and said she was this defendant's sister and that he was in the back garden."

Police found Timon drinking tea at a garden table at the back of the property. He cooperated with them and admitted drinking earlier before driving, but said that he had had nothing to drink since the incident apart from a sip of tea.

Ms Hall told the court that Timon's blood was analysed at the house, and his reading was 125ml. The legal limit is 80ml per 100ml of blood. He was taken to Malinsgate police station and tested again, with his reading showing 116ml.

In court Timon's representative Lisa Hancox said that it was a rare occurrence for him to drink, and that he couldn't account for what happened on May 4. He said he had given his sister a lift that day, and he fully cooperated with police when they arrived at Garbett Road.

Ms Hancox said that Timon suffered from depression and anxiety, that these conditions had worsened after a previous attack on him and his family in which he was knocked unconscious with a bottle, and that he drank alcohol on occasion as a "mechanism to cope".

Ms Hancox cited Timon's positive relationship with his wife and stepson, who he has helped raise for 17 years at their home in Castlecroft, Stirchley.

After considering the evidence and reading a letter from Timon's family friend, the justices handed down a driving ban for five years, as well as an 18-month community order, a rehabilitation order and alcohol treatment order. Timon was also fined £120.

He was previously convicted of drink-driving in 2009 and 2012.