A psychiatric nurse made a "silly mistake" on the road which hit his pocket by more than £1,000. Celestine Ikpekhai ended up in court in Nottingham after he was stopped by a policeman on July 1 last year in the Westdale Lane East and West area, which runs between Gedling and Mapperley.
Nottingham Magistrates' Court heard on Friday (January 6) Ikpekhai refused to provide a roadside sample to the officer and was taken to a custody suite. More efforts were made there to retrieve a sample but they were not sufficient enough for evidential testing.
Despite the prosecution putting to the court this was a "deliberate refusal", magistrates found it was not - he simply did not manage it. But they told remorseful father-of-five Ikpekhai, of Coupe Gradens, Hucknall: "Clearly it was a silly mistake that day which is clearly going to be very expensive".
Read more: 'Crime catalyst' Hucknall home to be closed for a further 3 months
After agency nurse Ikpekhai pleaded guilty to failing to provide a sample of breath for analysis on July 1 last year, he was fined £663, and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £265, costs of £320, and he is now subject to a driving ban for 12 months.
Ikpekhai, who brings home £890-a-week, has opted to take a course which could reduce his ban. He told magistrates: "I take responsibility for what happened. It is no reflection of my character at all". He believed he had done a breath test but managed just one reading.
He said he had "learnt from this experience" and "I did not realise I was that intoxicated".
READ NEXT:
- Killer John Jessop cut throat of ex-lover Clair Ablewhite in Colston Bassett murder
Psychiatric report to be prepared as man admits robbery and possession of table knife
- Thieving sisters banned from Tesco Express store after violent attack on manager
Rough sleeper sentenced after being caught with rusty razor blade
Join Slimming World for free with this great offer - claim now to kickstart your journey
