Chesterfield man's car flipped and landed on roof during boozy collision, court hears

Reece Mitchell, 26, told police the accident happened when he took his eyes off the road “for a few seconds”.

Chesterfield Magistrates Court heard Mitchell and a passenger with him crawled out of the upside down vehicle with no injuries during the incident in Duckmanton on September 29.

Prosecutor Sarah Haslam told the court Mitchell gave a sample of 73 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath later at a police station after being taken to hospital.

His solicitor Annis Rowlands said Mitchell was a man of good character and losing his driving licence would make life “very difficult” for him.

She added: “He acknowledges he made a serious mistake - it was a momentary lapse of judgement but he takes full responsibility.”

Ms Rowlands said Mitchell, diagnosed with ADHD, had “struggled in life” but he had “knuckled down and worked hard”.

She said the forklift driver’s employers knew about his court hearing and he would be keeping the job he had held down for the last three-and-a-half years.

Mitchell, of Waterloo Street, Doe Lea, admitted drink driving.

He was banned from driving for 18 months, made to pay a £360 fine, £85 court costs and a £36 victim surcharge.

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