Seaman hit with ban for drink driving

Nicholas Oldham, 26, of Applewood Close, was stopped in Eckington at 12.30am on 23rd July.

He failed a roadside breath test, was arrested and went on to give a reading of 110mgs of alcohol in 100mls of blood, the limit is 80mgs.

Steve Brint, defending, told Chesterfield magistrates he was home on leave from the army.

He said: “He had parked his car and booked a taxi but pressure was put on him by a friend to take him home to change his shoes.”

“It could cost him in terms of his career.”

The court heard that Oldham was a weaponry warfare specialist in the Navy and been decorated for his good service.

“He is due to be deployed to the Gulf, maintaining the seaways safe from pirates,” added Mr Brint.

Oldham admitted drink driving and breaching a suspended jail sentence imposed in March of last year for wounding and damage offences.

The bench fined him £371, with £85 costs, and handed him a one year driving ban, to be cut to nine months if he passes a drink driving rehabilitation course.