A MAN has been slapped with a fine and penalty points after falling asleep at the wheel of his car while over the drink-drive limit.

Richard Walker, of The Crescent, Grange, was twice over the legal limit when road traffic officers conducted a roadside breath test on Grange Fell Road in Grange on July 7 this year.  

Prosecutor Lee Dacre said the defendant – aged 40 - was fully compliant with police who arrived at the scene as a result of a member of the public noticing a male breathing but slumped over the steering wheel of his silver Ford Fiesta.

He was arrested for being in charge of a motor vehicle whilst above the legal alcohol limit after providing an initial reading of 61 micrograms in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

Mr Dacre said this reading increased to 73 micrograms in police custody.

Walker chose not to be legally represented.

He told magistrates he parked in front of the library and had gone to the pub after a stressful day. He said he was tired and fell asleep in his vehicle after walking 15 minutes up a hill.

The defendant explained he would have taken a taxi if he had known he could be prosecuted for the offence.

He closed his own mitigation remarks by telling magistrates he used his car every day and that it was important for his employment.

Magistrates took into consideration that Walker was of previous good character and as a result penalised him by imposing ten penalty points on his driving licence.

They also fined him £166 for the offence and ordered that he pay a £56 surcharge and £85 in court costs in full within 28 days.