Pendle drink-driver 'felt OK' (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Pendle drink-driver 'felt OK'

12:01pm Wednesday 10th October 2012 in News

A DRINK-driver was more than twice the limit the morning after the night before, Burnley magistrates heard.

Aidas Paredinis, 25, was breath-tested after he and another man were seen leaving a shop with a box of lager at about 11am.

They got in a car which was followed and stopped by police and the defendant had been at the wheel.

The hearing was told that Paredinis, a slaughterhouse worker, told officers: “Yes, I’m sorry. It’s the start of my holiday today.”

He was shown to have 85 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – the legal limit is 35.

The defendant, of Poplar Street, Nelson, who is Lithuanian, admitted driving with excess alcohol, on September 21, on Corporation Street, Colne.

He was banned for 17 months and fined £300, with £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

David Leach, defending, said Paredinis had been drinking quite heavily the evening before and stopped at about 3.30am.

He had then slept until about 10.30am and made the short trip to a local shop.

The solicitor added: “He felt OK.”