Van driver found drink-driving after he was followed from pub

A van driver who was followed by police after he was seen leaving a pub car park in Scarcliffe has been banned from the road.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.Chesterfield magistrates' court.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Tuesday, January 9, how Stephen Cordon, 61, had been leaving the Horse and Groom pub, on Mansfield Road, when he was followed by police who approached him after he parked up in The Elm Tree pub car park, on Station Road.

Prosecuting solicitor Angela Hadfield said: “Officers saw a Ford Transit van leave the Horse and Groom and drive through Scarcliffe to the Elm Tree pub and the vehicle slowed and it stopped in the car park of the pub.”

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Cordon, of Pleasley Road, Teversal, Sutton-in-Ashfield, registered 61microgrammes of alcohol in 100millilitres of breath when the legal limit is 35microgrammes, according to the court.

The defendant, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to exceeding the alcohol drink-drive limit after the incident on November 24.

Defence solicitor John Wilford said Cordon had seen the police had wanted to stop him which is why he pulled up at the Elm Tree pub car park and he fully co-operated.

Mr Wilford added that Cordon has been in business for 35 years with a motorcycle shop in Kirkby-in-Ashfield but because his brother is due to retire from the business it will have to be sold and this has affected him.

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Cordon had a couple of glasses of wine, according to Mr Wilford, and he went to the Horse and Groom which is a community pub that sells produce and he was planning to have a soft drink but he had a pint of beer.

Magistrates fined Cordon £275 and ordered him to pay a £30 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

He was also disqualified from driving for 17 months but he was offered the drink-drive rehabilitation course to reduce the ban by 18 weeks.