Drunk Dudley teacher crashed into van

Father-of-two Michael Chapman smashed into the back of a Ford Transit van in Standhills Road, Kingswinford on April 30 this year and then drove off, Dudley Magistrates' Court was told.

He was followed by the van's driver who stopped him and called police and paramedics.

Chapman, who was driving without insurance, was taken to hospital and a blood sample was taken. Alcohol in his system measured 102 milligrammes. The legal limit for driving is 80 milligrammes per 100 millilitres of blood.

The 39-year-old, of Penzer Street, Kingswinford, had previously been disqualified for 20 months for an offence of drink driving that had taken place on March 25.

At a hearing on June 18, Chapman pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle when above the alcohol limit, use of a motor vehicle without third party insurance, driving while disqualified and failing to stop after a road accident. On Wednesday, he was handed a 16-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months and also disqualified from driving for 40 months and put on a supervision order for a year.

Mr Mark Cooper, prosecuting, said that on April 30 a driver of a Ford Transit had been driving along Standhills Road when Chapman's car smashed into the back of his van. Mr Cooper said: "He has followed him and concerned about his passengers suffering whiplash he has called the police and paramedics.

"Officers have attended and spoken to the driver of the Transit who said the defendant had driven into the rear of his vehicle."

Mr Cooper said Chapman, who now works as an ICT curriculum leader at a school in Birmingham, was taken to hospital where a blood sample was taken. "He was invited to return to the police station and made a full and frank admission to all the offences," he added.

Miss Catherine Janor, defending, said Chapman had been experiencing a breakdown following a traumatic event at the end of last year that had led to the loss of his job. "My client was in a fragile state of mind on the day," she added.

Deputy District Judge Munro, told Chapman: "You are highly regarded and this offence can only be said to be out of character." As part of his sentence, Chapman was also ordered to pay £85 costs, an £80 surcharge and told to attend a drink driving course.