Teacher two times over drink-drive limit when he drove his BMW into a roundabout

A teacher, who was more than two times the alcohol limit, has no recollection of driving his BMW onto the middle of a roundabout.

Ryan Hughes lied to police at Blackpool, claiming he was a passenger in the car.

Hughes, aged 32, of Holden Mill, Bolton, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

He was banned from the road for 20 months, fined £735 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £73 victims' surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said:

"On March 10 at 2.35am, a male witness saw a BMW in the middle of a roundabout on Cropper Road. Hughes was standing by a lamppost at the side of the road.

"He then confessed he had been the driver and said that he had drunk one can of lager after the incident.

A breath test showed 83 micrograms of alcohol in his body - 35 is the limit."

Simon Gretton, defending, said his client, who had no previous conviction, had been in teaching for 10 years.

"He was in Blackpool for the night as a former colleague was celebrating his birthday. During the evening that colleague had a fallout with another person. The row soured the evening and Hughes went back to his hotel."

Mr Gretton added: "The last thing he can remember was going to bed. For some inexplicable reason he got into his car and drove approximately a mile. He came to a halt on the roundabout."

Hughes had been so concerned about his behaviour that night he had seen his GP who had referred him to a neurologist for tests.