Early-hours Burnley drink-driver stopped by police who believed he was speeding

Support worker Kurt Foster had been to the Colne Blues Festival. The 27-year-old complied with police. He blew 48 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath at the police station. The legal limit is 35. The defendant had a previous conviction for drink-driving from 2008.

Mr Damien Pickup, defending, told the hearing Foster had been drinking shandy, thinking he would be under the limit and would be able to drive home. The solicitor continued: "Clearly, that was wrong.”

"He disputes he was driving in excess of the speed limit. He cooperated with police at the scene and cooperated at the police station."

The solicitor said Foster had had a serious motorbike accident accident in 2010, through absolutely no fault of his own. There was a defect in the road. The defendant was in a coma for two months and suffered significant mental health and physical health problems. He sued the local authority in a seven-year court case, received a pay-out, and had a Power of Attorney for his financial affairs.

Mr Pickup went on: "Despite all the problems, he has managed to secure work for the first time since his accident. He is a support worker looking after a vulnerable person. He now stands to lose that job because he needs his licence. “

The solicitor added: "Clearly, he could do with some education about the perils of drink-driving.”

Foster, formerly of Millbank Crescent in Burnley, admitted driving with excess alcohol on Colne Road in Brierfield on August 24th. He was fined £200 with £85 costs and a £32 victim surcharge and was banned for a year.