Drink-driving to cost Wigan man his job

A groundsman faces losing his job after being handed an 18-month ban for drink-driving, a court heard.

Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court was told Declan Ashcroft would be unable to get to his job on time were he to be disqualified from the road as his work was due to move to Wales.

Tess Kenyon, prosecuting, told that police had seen Ashcroft stationary in his Seat Ibiza on Worthington Lakes car park in Chorley Road, Standish, at around 3.50am on February 12.

The 19-year-old was in the driver’s seat and officers then observed the vehicle reverse briefly.

Ms Kenyon said: “Ashcroft then saw police officers and stopped the car, before admitting he had drunk a few beers.”

A reading showed Ashcroft had 63 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

Rebecca Penfold, defending, said a ban would “inevitably” lead to the loss of her client’s employment.

She said: “My client is employed and works full time as a groundsman.

“His job is safe until April but his work will be moving to Wales then and he just won’t be able to get to the site on time every day without a car.

“The ban will have a significant impact on him and inevitably means he will lose his employment.

Ms Penfold said Ashcroft, of Fairhurst Avenue, Standish, had also lost his previous good character.

She added: “I would ask for the ban to be as shorter time as possible bearing in mind his age and the fact he’s at an important stage of his life and is just 19 and a working man.

“He was in the car late at night in a car with no road users and drove only a short distance by reversing his car.

“He’s shown clear remorse by his early guilty plea and full admission at the roadside.”

Appearing in court, Ashcroft pleaded guilty to a single drink-driving charge.

As well as banning Ashcroft from driving for 18 months, justices handed him a fine of £415, victim surcharge of £41 and court costs of £85.

He agreed to taking part in a drink-driver rehabilitation course.