Chesterfield drink driver was taking 'vulnerable' friend home after night out drinking

Alex Charlesworth admitted drink driving when he appeared before Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, January 15.

The 23-year-old, of Nethermoor Road, Wingerworth, was spotted by police behind the wheel of his red Ford Fiesta in Derby Road, Clay Cross, in the early hours of Saturday, December 21.

Prosecutor Becky Allsop said Charlesworth had not initially stopped for officers after they deployed their emergency equipment and had turned into a McDonald’s where his car became stuck.

“He was slurring his words and could not stand up properly because he was drunk,” she said.

“Police initially noticed his vehicle because it was travelling in the opposite direction with no lights.

Charlesworth blew 105 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath when he was breathalysed by officers, when the legal limit is 50, she said.

Mitigating, David Gittins said that Charlesworth had been out drinking and had then returned to his home address with a friend, who the court heard suffers from autism.

“He had initially got a taxi back to his address, but his friend was vulnerable and said he was going to walk home and he has taken the stupid decision to drive him because he was worried.”

He added that the defendant, who had a previous caution for assaulting an emergency worker, was currently studying for a degree in international events management, despite coping with mental health issues.

“He will hopefully be able to put this behind him and move forwards,” Mr Gittins added. “The reason he only received the caution is because police recognised that this was a special case. You don’t get a caution for assaulting an emergency worker, you get charged.”

Charlesworth was banned from driving for 25 months, but was offered a drink drive rehabilitation course, which would reduce his ban by 27 weeks if completed byJune 9, 2021.

The Sheffield Hallam University student was also given a 12-month community order, to include 90 hours of unpaid work, and was ordered to pay £85 in prosecution costs and a £90 victim surcharge.