Motorist banned after admitting drink driving in his Audi A5 in Hartlepool while twice the limit

Peter James Lax, 36, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol when he appeared before Teesside Magistrates’ Court.

Joanne Hesse, prosecuting, said police attended Speedwell Close in Hartlepool at around 9.15pm on Tuesday, December 17, last year where an Audi A5, which belonged to Mr Lax, was parked.

She said: “The officer spoke to the defendant who admitted he had consumed a quantity of alcohol and driven the vehicle.”

The defendant was breathalysed, and the test showed he had 74 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, with the legal limit for driving being 35.

Matthew Agar, defending, said Lax is a man of previous good character and never been in any kind of trouble before.

He said: “He has no record whatsoever, never been in trouble before and never been arrested before.”

Mr Agar said his client, who works full-time as a builder, could potentially lose his job because of this offence leading to him losing his licence and not being able to drive will also impact on his ability to see his children.

Because of his defendant’s history of not being in trouble with the police, he said: “It is very unlikely that Mr Lax will be appearing before the courts again.”

Lax, of Poppy Lane, Shotton Colliery, was fined £316 and ordered to pay a £32 victim surcharge and £85 costs. Lax was also banned from driving for 17 months.