Man banned after driving wrong way round Walsall then drinking vodka

Anxious Alan Micklewright, who also failed to stop when a police officer walked into the road in front of him, feared he might fail a breath test after downing two bottles of beer, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

An officer saw the 39-year-old going against the traffic on the one-way system in Lichfield Street, Walsall during the early hours of March 14, said Mr Paul Spratt, prosecuting.

He also noticed the distinctive personalised registration number of the Range Rover.

The prosecutor continued: "The officer stepped into the carriageway to order the driver to stop. He was in uniform and wearing a high-visibility jacket but the driver did not stop and the officer had to step back out of the way."

Then the Range Rover almost collided with a taxi coming the right way down the road and when police arrived at the home of Micklewright in Haden Road, Leamore they found him drinking from a bottle of vodka, the court heard.

Mr Spratt said: "He had plainly been drinking at home just minutes after being seen in the town centre but also accepts consuming some alcohol before the incident.

"This contributed to his decision not to stop when requested to do so. His driving created danger to others, not least the police officer and taxi driver."

Mr Andrew Wilkins, defending, said: "He admits drinking two bottles of Budweiser before being seen at the wheel of the Range Rover."

Micklewright, who denied driving directly at the uniformed officer, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and was told by Judge John Wait: "When you got home you were fearful that the police might be on their way to see you and they arrived to find you drinking in a way that would have contaminated the findings of a breath test."

The defendant, who had a previous conviction for driving with excess alcohol, was given a two month prison sentence suspended for 18 months, with a one month night-time home curfew and 150 hours unpaid work.

Micklewright was also fined £500, ordered to pay £500 costs and banned from driving for three years.