Drink driver caught for second time

Paul Anthony Rydings (56) was spoken to outside his home in Chiltern Avenue, Burnley, on Tuesday, June 13th, by officers who had received a report of a “drunk driver.”

The defendant blamed a glass of coke he had before he got behind the wheel for his breath test reading of 45 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit being 35.

But the defendant, who admitted he had drunk one-and-a-half glasses of cider, was unaware a friend had poured vodka in with the coke also which took him over the limit, Burnley magistrates were told.

Rydings who was arrested at 6.30pm, was convicted of drink driving in September 2014. The defendant, who is on employment and support allowance, admitted excess alcohol again.

The defendant was fined £120 and must pay £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.