11:42am Tuesday 7th July 2009
By Andrew Bellard
A POLICE officer was more than three times the legal drink-drive limit when he was stopped after another motorist reported his erratic driving.
Blackburn magistrates heard that Ian Michael Lees had turned to drink after being traumatised by an incident at work in December.
And probation officer Steve Cooper, who pres-ented a verbal report to the magistrates, said the court hearing had been a “wake-up call” for the officer with over 30 years’ service.
Lees, 49, of Knowsley Meadows, Darwen, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.
He was banned from driving for 24 months and ordered to do 100 hours’ unpaid work and pay £50 costs.
The court heard that Lees, a member of the Greater Manchester Police based at Collyhurst police station, had left his car in the garage and was not expecting to collect it until Saturday.
On the Friday afternoon he was in the garden and had drunk some of his home-made wine when he received a call to say his car was ready.
When he went to collect the vehicle it wasn’t ready and he killed time by having a couple more drinks.
As he drove home a member of the public was concerned by his erratic driving and flagged down a police car to report his concerns.
Lees was stopped near Abbey Village and gave a breathalyser reading of 107 against the legal limit of 35.
Mr Cooper said that since being involved in a horrendous incident at work in December alco-hol had crept into the defendant’s life.
He said he has now been referred to the police welfare unit.
“For over 30 years he has been a serving police officer and today he finds himself on the other side,” said Mr Cooper.
“I would hope he will access the support agencies with regard to alcohol.”
A spokesman for Greater Manchester Pol-ice said: “The force can confirm a serving GMP officer has been convicted of driving with excess alcohol.
“The officer has since resigned.”
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