Hartlepool van driver who run deliveries to Nightingale hospitals nationwide banned from the roads

The NHS Nightingale Hospital North East in Sunderland.

A key worker from Hartlepool who delivers to Nightingale hospitals across the country has been banned from getting behind the wheel for 14 months after being caught over the drink-drive limit.

Joseph Leighton, 44, of Oxford Road, Hartlepool, was stopped by police in Hyde Lane, Gloucester, after being seen driving erratically in a Mercedes sprinter van, magistrates in Cheltenham were told today.

The court heard that Leighton was stopped by police after he had downed ‘one alcoholic drink’ and then got behind the wheel to go and search out some food.

Jeremy Oliver prosecuting said that Leighton gave a positive roadside breath test of 50 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Inside the NHS Nightingale Hospital North East in Sunderland.

Clare Buckley, defending, told the court that Leighton maintains he was not driving erratically due to drink, but possibly because he had just completed a 12 hour shift and was sleep deprived.

Ms Buckley explained that Leighton was doing pickups and making deliveries to the Nightingale hospitals being built across the county during the height of the coronavirus pandemic and this was why he was in Gloucester at the time of the offence.

She said: “He had booked into a hotel and had one alcoholic drink before he decided to go and find some food.

“It was while he was on this mission he got stopped by the police. He would not have driven had he known he was over the limit.”

The court was told that Leighton is an HGV driver with 15 years experience on the road but was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after his lorry had caught fire.

“The experience had put him off driving lorries for the time being and had turned to driving vans for the same company," Ms Buckley added.

Andrew Hill, chairman of the magistrates, said to Leighton: “You were doing an important job. But from today this employment will end because you will be banned from driving for 14 months.”

Leighton was also fined £120 for the offence. He was also ordered to pay £85 court costs and £34 victim surcharge.

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