Driving ban for motorist who was found asleep at wheel of parked vehicle near Boston over drink-drive limit

James Moorcroft, 35, of Hoffleet Road, Bicker, had just eaten a takeaway in the car and drunk some cans of beer, Boston Magistrates’ Court was told on Wednesday.

CCTV operators spotted him returning to a Daihatsu Fourtrak parked on zigzag lines outside a pizza and kebab shop in High Street, Kirton.

When police arrived, he was asleep in the driver’s seat with the keys in the ignition. He was wearing his seatbelt and he had an open can of alcohol in his hand, the court was told.

A dog in the passenger seat ran off, but was recovered.

Police eventually managed to rouse Moorcroft. He gave a roadside reading of 80 microgrammes per 100 millilitres of breath. By the time he gave an evidential sample in custody, this had risen to 102mcg The legal limit is 35mcg.

Moorcroft pleaded guilty to drink-driving on January 21. The court was told that he got 10 penalty points in February 2022 for being drunk in charge of a vehicle.

Phillipa Chatterton, in mitigation, said her client had had a ‘very difficult time’ over the past 18 months with the death of his father and a serious health issue for another family member. On the night of the offence, he had drunk a couple of beers with friends after dealing with cattle he owned. He then stopped at the takeaway and had already bought some alcohol.

She added: “He’d eaten the takeaway [in the car]. He was there for quite some period of time and had fallen asleep.”

Moorcroft was banned for two years. He was also fined £583 and ordered to pay £233 victim surcharge and £85 costs.