Journalist banned for drink driving

Meridian TV reporter Jonathan Mendenhall, 49, was travelling home after topping up his electricity meter when he was stopped in a routine police check on Old London Road.

Mendenhall admitted his actions were 'thoroughly irresponsible and reckless' and said he 'deserved everything' he got.

The Winding Road resident had walked home from a pub at around 8pm last Friday (November 3) to discover the flat he shares with his infirm 83-year-old mother was in darkness and without heat.

Hastings magistrates heard yesterday that Mendenhall set off on the one-mile round trip to top up his electronic key meter at a convenience store, but his Peugeot 405 was stopped by police on his return at 8.40pm.

He was taken to the police station after failing a roadside screening test, and recorded a reading of 108mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood. The limit is 35ml.

Ronan Crummy, defending, said Mendenhall had no previous convictions for drink-driving in 25 years behind the wheel, and added 'there was absolutely nothing wrong with his driving' at the time he was stopped.

He claimed Mendenhall had made the journey out of concern for his elderly mother.

Mr Crummy said: "My client's remorse is unequivocal, deep and totally heart-felt. He regrets his actions, not just because of the ramifications for himself, but more so for his mother and his family.

"He is deeply ashamed of his actions. They needed electricity as quickly as possible to get the lights and heat back on. He could have taken a taxi but the alcohol clouded his clear judgement.

"Mr Mendenhall's fall from grace will be a hard one. The interest in this case will be extreme and the ramifications will be enormous. He is highly respected in the community, in the Old Town and by the people for whom he works.

"What we have here is a hard-working man who is also a caring son who did what he thought was best at the time. It was the worst mistake of his life."

In addition to the ban, magistrates fined Mendenhall 700 and ordered him to pay 60 court costs.

He will be eligible for a seven-month reduction to his ban if he completes a drink-drive rehabilitation course by June 8 2008.

After the hearing, Mendenhall told the Hastings Observer: "I behaved in a thoroughly irresponsible and reckless fashion. There can be no excuse for drink-driving and I deserved everything I got."