Dizzy Chesterfield drink driver thought police “were trying to stop someone else”

Phillip Goodall, 43, drove “up onto the kerb” as police pursued him with blue lights flashing - having been seen on the wrong side of the road and almost crashing into “multiple” parked cars.

Prosecutor Kathryn Wilson told Chesterfield Magistrates Court that police saw Goodall “driving erratically” and having a “near miss” with a car in front of him.

She said: “The driver refused to stop, went onto a kerb to try and get away from the police car.”

Goodall did eventually pull over when police blocked him off and was just over the drink drive limit.

However Goodall’s solicitor Annis Rowlands said her client “had never been stopped by police before and thought they were trying to stop someone else”.

She said: “He is a gentleman who was in employment - working six days a week at a supermarket and at a specialist running shop.

“He became quite poorly a few months ago and stopped work five weeks ago - he is awaiting an MRI scan and suffers pain in his arms and shoulders.

“He is taking large amounts of painkillers - he acknowledges he had a drink of gin that day.”

Goodall, of Curbar Close, North Wingfield, admitted drink driving.

District Judge Jonathan Taaffe told him: “You do not go anywhere near a car after having a drink - you know that. I inevitably have to disqualify you.”

Goodall was banned from driving for 14 months, fined £350, made to pay £85 court costs and a £35 victim surcharge.

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