Derbyshire drunk driver seen “clearing debris” from road after crash

Joshua Rolfe, 24, who had drunk several pints and “a couple of cans” before the crash, told police all he could recall from the collision was “the airbags going off”.

Prosecutor Donna Fawcett told Chesterfield Magistrates Court how on October 29 police were alerted to a crash at Boothgate in Belper Just before midnight.

She said: “There was debris all over the road and the driver had driven the car to the bottom of the road and began clearing the debris.

“The vehicle was badly damaged and the airbags were deployed.”

When officers arrived at the scene Rolfe had already left, however after they tracked him down the defendant confirmed the crash.

Ms Fawcett said: “He said he was on his way to his home address and had been drinking that evening - he had crashed the car and rolled it.

“Officers said he was slurring and unsteady on his feet - he said he couldn’t remember the crash but he was tired. He recalled the airbags going off.”

After being taken to the Royal Derby Hospital Rolfe gave a reading of 149 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.

Magistrates heard he had no previous convictions.

Rolfe’s solicitor John Wilford told the court his client had cooperated fully with police and there had been no attempt to make off “as such”.

Mr Wilford also read out glowing references from gate maker Rolfe’s employer - describing him as “exemplary” and “trusted implicitly”.

He added that the defendant would not be losing his job as a result of the incident.

A magistrate told Rolfe: “A lot of people in your circumstances would be unemployed by this stage.

“Hopefully you’ve learned a very sobering lesson - these things happen and hopefully this will be the one and only time.”

Rofle, of Walcote Close, Belper, admitted drink driving.

He was banned from driving for 18 months, fined £369 and made to pay £85 court costs and a £37 victim surcharge.

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