Abergele,North Wales - Man slumped over the steering wheel of his car was four times the drink drive limit

Published date: 27 October 2015 | 

Published by: Staff reporter
Read more articles by Staff reporterEmail reporter

A JAGUAR car was found parked in a road and the driver was slumped over the steering wheel.

Other motorists who came across the scene feared that he had suffered a heart attack and an ambulance was called.

But it turned out that the driver, Ian Caddick, was four times the drink drive limit.

Caddick, 57, was found to have a massive alcohol reading of 144 microgrammes in his breath compared to the legal limit of 35.

At Flintshire magistrates’ court at Mold today (Tues) Caddick, who partly lives at Epping Drive in Woolston, Warrington, and partly with his mother at Lon Erin in Abergele, admitted drink driving at Gronant near Holywell on the morning of September 1.

Caddick, who had never been in any trouble before, was banned from driving for three years and he received a 16 week prison sentence.

But District Judge Gwyn Jones said that the prison sentence would be suspended for a year in view of the caring responsibilities he had for his mother.

The defendant was also ordered to carry out 180 hours unpaid work, and pay £85 costs, an £80 surcharge and a £150 criminal court charge.

The judge said that driving when four times the drink drive limit meant that custody was justified.

Caddick was found in his car at 9 a.m..

He claimed that he had drunk two bottles of wine the night before but the judge said that the alcohol reading had increased from 133 miscrogrammes at the scene to 114 at the police station which suggested recent consumption of alcohol.

Prosecutor Rhian Edwards told how a woman left the A548 coast road opposite the Bells of St Mary’s public house and came across the Jaguar on an unclassified road.

It was travelling slowly initially and then came to a halt in the carriageway.

She stopped behind and waited but when there was no movement she drove alongside and saw the driver was slumped forward over the steering wheel with his face away from her.

The witness parked up and returned, tried to rouse him by speaking to him, and he turned with his eyes rolling to the back of his head.

He appeared disorientated. Another woman arrived at the scene and she feared that he had a heart attack, asked her daughter to call for an ambulance, and found him leaning back with his eyes closed.

Asked if he was not well, he replied: “I’m a bit rough. I don’t feel very well.”

His speech was slurred, he smelt of intoxicants and the police were alerted.

Other members of the public arrived, his ignition keys were removed but the defendant said “what have you done that for?”

When police arrived, he said that he had been stupid, that he had been to the gym after an argument with his wife. He had his last drink at 10 p.m. the night before, he claimed.

Later interviewed, he said that he was driving to the Greenacres Gym, stopped to have a cigarette and must have fallen asleep.

He said that he had been “very silly” and should have known better.

In his interview, he said “I won’t deny anything” but then pleaded not guilty. He only admitted the offence on the morning his trial was due to take place.

Ronan Molloy, defending, said that his client was a man of good character who believed that he had parked up in a lay-by and drunk a significant amount of vodka.

But it appeared that he may have blacked out with his car being found in the road.

He was a man of good character who had shown remorse and shame for his actions.

Caddick had never done anything like it before and would not drink and drive again, he said.

His father had recently died, he spent part of the time caring for his mother at Abergele, and he had experienced a difficult time with stress and depression.

But he was now on medication and felt a lot better for it.

He was now retired after a 30 year working career and while he drank socially on a daily basis it was his case that the offence was a one-off.