A 20-year-old Birmingham man was stopped by police as he tried to put the keys into the ignition of his car while heavily intoxicated, a court has heard.
Joseph Bunting of Woodbine Croft was found in the driver’s seat of his Seat Leon on Berkley Street following a night out on the nearby Broad Street. Police on patrol noticed his slurred speech and erratic behavior on April 19.
When questioned, Bunting admitted he was “f***** off his head.” Breath tests revealed he was nearly twice over the legal alcohol limit, with a reading of 67mcg compared to the legal limit of 35mcg (58mcg in the version reported).
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The police intervention stopped him before he started driving, which Magistrates said was a fortunate outcome. Birmingham Magistrates’ Court heard Bunting pleaded guilty to being drunk in charge of a motor vehicle.
Prosecutor Charmaine Robinson explained: “PCs on night patrol found the defendant attempting to insert car keys into the ignition. His speech was slurred, and he openly admitted his intoxication.”
Despite having no previous convictions and being a man of good character, Bunting received a cautionary warning. The chair of the Magistrates acknowledged the seriousness of the offense but opted not to disqualify him from driving, instead imposing 10 penalty points on his license.
The Magistrate noted, “You were very fortunate police stopped you before you drove off in this state. However, if you accumulate 12 points, you could face disqualification.”
Bunting was also ordered to pay £515 to the court for the offense. The decision leaves open the possibility that the DVLA may revoke his license, especially as he is still classified as a new driver under the law.