A TEACHER who got lost in Bolton following a night out was arrested for drink-driving after parking his car.

Bolton magistrates heard how police found Lee Crabtree behind the wheel of a Renault Megane in River Street, Bolton, just before 6am on October 10.

The vehicle was parked on double yellow lines but had its rear lights on.

Crabtree, aged 32, of Walshaw Road, Bury, initially told officers that he had not driven, but was sleeping in his vehicle in order to sober up before driving home.

But the vehicle’s bonnet was warm and Crabtree was arrested, providing a breath sample that proved he was twice over the legal drink-drive limit.

CCTV footage from the Breightmet Street area showed Crabtree’s Megane being driven at 5.30am. Nicola Ormerod, prosecuting, said Crabtree later admitted he had driven the car and was trying to get home, but had got lost and decided to park up to sleep off the drink instead.

The court was told that Crabtree, a teacher of media and film at Rochdale Sixth Form College, had impaired judgement because of the alcohol and now had to suffer the loss of his good name. He was banned from driving for 19 months, fined £400 and ordered to pay a £40 victim surcharge and £85 costs.