Sleaford drink driver did not know how he got to Grantham

A Sleaford man said he has quit his job as a delivery driver following a drink-drive offence.

Matthew Hazelwood, 34, of West Banks, was almost three times the legal alcohol limit when he was found by officers driving an Audi A1 in Grantham.

A witness called police after seeing the car crossing the centre line, mounting the grass verge and doing 20mph in a 60mph zone.

It was about 3.30am on October 23 last year, Lincoln Magistrates’ Court heard on Wednesday (February 9).

Prosecutor Alexis Mercer said police officers attended and found the car parked with the engine running and Hazelwood the sole occupant.

He was arrested after failing a roadside test, later blowing 95 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Miss Mercer said: “In police interview, he couldn’t explain any of what happened.

“He didn’t know where he had been but he knew he had travelled from Sleaford,” she said.

“He didn’t know how much alcohol he had consumed.”

Hazelwood pleaded guilty to drink-driving last week, having denied the offence at a previous hearing.

The court heard that he had a previous excess alcohol conviction in 2005.

The defendant has quit his job as a delivery driver and claimed he had decided to change his plea after initially receiving “wrong” legal advice.

“I would like to say it was out of character.

“I’m very remorseful and would like to apologise,” he told magistrates.

Hazelwood was banned for two years.

He was told this period can be shortened with the completion of a drink-driver rehabilitation course.

He was also fined £200 and ordered to pay £119 in costs and victim surcharge.