A BMW driver who crashed into railings was found to be over FOUR times the drink drive limit. Darren Marsland, 39, lost control of his BMW at a junction in Hyde before smashing into some railings.
He was then seen repeatedly trying to reverse out, Tameside Magistrates Court heard. Following a failed roadside breath test, he was taken to hospital where he was found to have 345 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80 milligrammes.
Marsland, of Hyde, previously pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle when above the alcohol limit, and was handed a suspended prison sentence due to the high reading.
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Prosecuting, Isabella Denn-White said that on September 17 last year, Marsland was driving down Commercial Brow when he lost control at the junction with Bottom Street, and crashed into the railings.
"Witnesses saw him try to reverse the car after being involved in a road traffic collision. He was also seen struggling to get out of the vehicle,” she said.
“He then went back to the car and was trying to free it from the railings. The police attended and found empty bottles and cans in his car.”
Marsland failed a roadside breath test and a decision was made to go to hospital due to him being involved in a collision. An alcohol reading was taken and he was released under investigation due it being not necessary to detain him.
He was found to have 345 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. Ms Denn-White said this was a high reading of alcohol in the highest sentencing category.
Marsland was said to have no previous convictions. Mitigating, his defence lawyer Rebecca Clarke said that her client was cooperative with the police at the scene and during his interview.
“He clearly disclosed that he was having an issue with alcohol misuse over the last year and year before,” she said. “He was previously living by himself but has since reconciled with his partner.”
She said that he is able to work again and has since landed a job working in asbestos on a self employed basis.
Handing him 14 weeks imprisonment suspended for 12 months, Tameside JPs said this was ‘clearly an extremely high reading at that time in the morning’. He was fined £800, ordered to pay £128 victim surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.
Marsland, of Chapman Avenue, was also banned from driving for 32 months.
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