Chesterfield war veteran drove while twice over the limit following row
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Glen Cheetham, 35, was stopped by police after they were called at around 3.20am on New Year’s Day to reports of a man and woman arguing.
Prosecutor Kathryn Wilson told Chesterfield Magistrates Court how police heard the female was “trying to stop the male driving off in a vehicle”.
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Hide AdShe said: “When police attended they could smell alcohol - at the roadside Mr Cheetham admitted having had a drink.”
The court heard Cheetham gave a reading of 78 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - putting him twice over the drink drive limit.
Cheetham’s solicitor Steve Brint, mitigating for his client, said: “Mr Cheetham is 35 and spent the early part of his life in the military.
“He has served in war-torn countries such as Iran and Afghanistan.”
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Hide AdHowever Mr Brint said Cheetham had left the Army while suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, having been “blown-up” by an improvised explosive device.
Mr Brint read out glowing references from Cheetham’s employer - who described him as a “consistent” hard worker who had endured “extremely hard and testing times”.
However, banning Cheetham from driving for 16 months, District Judge Jonathan Taaffe told him: “This is inexplicable - you’ve put yourself where you have been in control of a lethal weapon while double over the drink drive limit.”
Cheetham, of Rotherham Road, Clowne, admitted drink driving.
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Hide AdHe was also fined £400, made to pay £85 court costs and a £40 victim surcharge.