Man who crashed into ditch in Ingoldmells and had to be freed by firefighters was over limit

Dale Rattigan, 52, who gave a care of address at Tavern Lane, Hogsthorpe, was said to have crashed his Audi car into a ditch in Chapel Road, Ingoldmells on September 29 and had to be released by Fire and Rescue after he was trapped in the car.

He was released unhurt and was arrested after providing a positive breath test with a reading of 51 microgrammes of alcohol in his breath, the legal limit being 35.

In interview, he told police he could not remember what had happened.

Mitigating, Phillipa Chatterton said a small deer had been found under the car when it was recovered and that had probably been the cause of the accident.

She said he had no previous convictions and that this was 'very much out of character'.

She said he had only half a pint of beer on the day and that this was 'possibly a case of topping up after the night before'.

Rattigan was banned from driving for a year but was offered the drink drivers' rehabilitation course which will reduce the period of the ban by a quarter, and he was fined £120 and ordered to pay a total of £133 in court costs and charges.

*For more news from the courts and crime stories see our Wednesday edition of the Skegness Standard or visit our website at lincolnshireworld.com