An alcoholic was caught drink driving nearly two-and-a-half times the legal limit after police were alerted by his ex-wife, a court heard.
Ex-Army Joseph Mitchell was stopped on Somerset Grove in Church after his ex-wife saw him behaving ‘bizarrely’.
Burnley Crown Court heard how he was arrested after giving a positive breath test and later gave a ‘lowest’ blood alcohol reading of 88mg – the legal driving limit is 35mg.
Mitchell, 50, admitted drink driving and while subject to a suspended prison sentence order.
Paul Cummings, prosecuting, told the court the incident happened on August 23 this year.
He said: “Officers received a report that the defendant may have been driving with excess alcohol. They went to the scene and intercepted the car. The defendant cooperated by stopping straight away. He was breathalysed at the scene. It was a positive result and he was taken into custody.”
Rachel Cooper, defending, said the offence occurred because of Mitchell’s ‘significant alcohol problems’.
She said: “On the night in question he drove to his ex-wife’s house. She rang the police, not because she felt threatened by him, but because he was acting very bizarrely and he fully accepts that. He can’t clearly remember why he went there. ”
Miss Cooper told the court how Mitchell suffers from alcohol and mental health problems ‘that stem from his many years in the military’.
She said: “It is an indication of how severe his alcohol problem level is when his basic is two litres a day. He deeply regrets it and is very remorseful.”
The court heard how Mitchell, of Dove Lane, Darwen, is currently working with various projects and groups to address his alcohol problems and the Combat Stress charity.
Judge Andrew Woolman deferred sentence until May 18 next year, but ordered an interim driving disqualification.
He said: “I have been told about all the efforts you are making to deal with your alcohol problem.
“If you are making serious efforts to deal with your drinking problem I won’t imprison you, but if you’re not and fall off the wagon then you will only have yourself to blame.”
