A man who tried to complete a 30-second drive home after drinking has been banned.

At Chelmsford Magistrates' Court yesterday, Lee Probert, of High Street, Maldon, admitted drink-driving.

The court heard the 27-year-old got behind the wheel of his Ford Fiesta car, which was parked in the Butt Lane car park, Maldon, and was going to drive it home.

Denise Holland, prosecuting, said police stopped Probert in Butt Lane at 2.15am on February 9. A breath test showed he had 65mcg of alcohol. The legal limit is 35.

Probert, a finisher at a furniture factory in Tolleshunt Major, who was not represented, said: "I went out to celebrate with friends at a pub and was going to leave at about 9pm to pick my girlfriend up.

"She called to say she didn't need a lift so I carried on drinking and went to a friend's house after leaving the pub.

"I realised my car was still in the car park, about 30 seconds drive from my house.

"I was paranoid about leaving it because it had my guitar and amplifier inside and wanted to get it on to my driveway."

Probert was fined £190, ordered to pay £43 costs and banned from driving for 16 months.

Published Friday, February 18, 2005

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