Pensioner banned for drinking and driving
9:00am Wednesday 27th February 2013 in News
AN elderly motorist has been banned from driving after he went in search of his wife when she went missing from his birthday party.
Bolton magistrates heard how 75-year-old John Pilling was more than two-and-a-half times over the drink drive limit when police spotted him driving a Renault Laguna, at 15mph, in Hall Lane, Farnworth. Nicola Ormerod, prosecuting, told the court that police had been tipped off about Pilling’s car by a member of the public and stopped him near his Glenbrook Gardens home.
Blood tests revealed he had 206mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood. The legal limit is 80mg.
The court heard that it was the second time Pilling has been caught drink driving. In 2009 he was banned for three years for committing the same offence.
Pilling, who is hard of hearing and uses a walking stick, pleaded guilty to the latest offence, committed on December 14 last year.
Colleen Gallagher, defending, said Pilling had been celebrating his 75th birthday with a party at his house.
She said he had drunk only two or three vodkas when he realised his wife, who is in the latter stages of Alzheimer’s disease, was missing.
“He felt at the time that the only thing he could do was get in the car and drive round the block to look for his wife. He only went 300 yards from the house,” she said.
She added that losing his driving licence will have a devastating effect. “Effectively he has told me his life is over because he relies so heavily on his vehicle,” she said.
Magistrates told him they were banning him for three years — the minimum they could impose.
He was also fined £180 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.
