Former officer twice the limit

Feb 21 2008 The Journal

A FORMER policeman crashed his car into the front of a curryhouse while almost twice the legal alcohol limit, a court heard.

David Benny Bickerton, 54, of Hotspur Court, Alnwick, who retired from his duties as a motor patrols officer six years ago, was yesterday banned from driving for 16 months by the town’s magistrates.

He was also ordered to pay just under £400, having pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

Prosecutor Stuart Michie told the court how at 7.45pm on Friday, February 8, police came across a Nissan Almera which had crashed into the front of Dalchini’s Indian restaurant and takeaway in Narrowgate, Alnwick.

Officers discovered Bickerton, bare footed and wearing his pyjamas, had been driving and noticed he was unsteady on his feet and appeared to have been drinking.

The defendant told police somebody had jumped out in front of his car and he had lost control, causing him to hit the curryhouse.

Officers discovered a pair of open toed slippers – said to be inappropriate for driving – in Bickerton’s car.

He was taken to Bedlington police station where he gave a reading of 63 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, almost double the legal limit of 35mg.

Michelle Lamond, defending, told the court single man Bickerton had been in bed that afternoon with a cold – which was why he was in his pyjamas and dressing gown.

He drank a couple of whiskys in bed and then “for some reason, he cannot explain why” decided to drive.

Magistrates fined Bickerton £340, reduced from £510 because of his plea, and ordered him to pay £43 costs and a £15 surcharge.