A an employee wrote off his car when was over the drink-drive limit and feared he would lose his job if he didn’t follow orders to report for work.
Warren Talbot was injured in a crash at Kate’s Bridge, Baston, and found to be over the drink-drive limit when a test was taken at hospital.
Spalding magistrates heard Talbot also lost his wallet and other personal items when someone stole them from his wrecked BMW, which was left at the side of the road.
Talbot (30), of Orchard Close, Morton, was banned from driving for three years because it was his second drink-drive offence within ten years.
He was also fined £500 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £50 victim surcharge.
Talbot pleaded guilty to driving with 152 milligrammes of alcohol in blood – the legal limit is 80mgs.
Solicitor Mike Alexander, mitigating, said Talbot had booked September 3 – the day of the crash – as a day off as he had to go to a Christening the day before.
He no longer works for his old firm, but his then boss rang him at about 6pm on September 2 saying “you have to be in work for 4am or else”.
Talbot replied he couldn’t because he had been drinking, but he was effectively given an ultimatum.
“Mr Talbot subsequently decided ‘I have got to try and make it because otherwise I am going to lose my job,” Mr Alexander said.
Talbot didn’t have a drink problem and because of his previous drink-drive conviction he had decided he would never drink-drive again.
His car was a write-off, but he decided to take the loss rather than claim it on his insurance.
Talbot has a new job but now faces losing it because he’s required him to travel nationwide.
Paul Wood, prosecuting, said Talbot’s car ran off the road, hit a tree and rebounded back into the road. He in an ambulance when police arrived.