Drink driver caught for the fourth time

John Martinson, 68, appeared at Scarborough Magistrates’ Court today after pleading guilty to the offence, which took place in Tennyson Avenue on December 13, last.

Geoff Ellis, prosecuting, said Martinson, of Stepney Rise, was arrested after police were called by a member of the public who had reported seeing a man in drink.

He said: “When officers arrived Mr Martinson was stood in the door of his silver Mercedes, the engine was running.
“As the police approached he got into the vehicle and drove it forward about a foot before stopping.

“One he got out the car the police asked him to take a breathalyser test, to which he remarked ‘do we really have to go through with this? I’m going to fail’.”

Back at the police station Martinson was found to have 92mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, almost three times the legal limit.

Mr Ellis added that Martinson had previously been convicted for drink driving in 1997, 2000 and, most recently, in 2009.

In mitigation, Marcus Topham told the court that Martinson was remorseful and asked the court not to consider a custodial sentence due to a mild heart attack his client had suffered.

He added: “On the night in question he had gone to the Tennyson Arms to collect some money he was owed.

“He ended up staying longer than he planned due to some live entertainment he was enjoying and he drank several pints of beer.”

Mr Topham said Martinson, who runs a plant hire firm, had not meant to drive home and had gone no further than a foot before becoming trapped by a car coming in the opposite direction.

He added that his client became so stressed about not being able to move his car that he had wet himself. As well as his driving ban Martinson must carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and attend 15 rehabilitation sessions on alcohol dependency and thinking skills. He must also pay £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.