Wife's health worries led to drink-driving

Nigel Pearson, 50, of Hastings Road, admitted drink driving, using a phone while driving and having no insurance when he appeared at Hastings Magistrates Court this week.

Police stopped his Vauxhall Astra on the Bexhill Road at about 4.30pm on April 8 because they had seen Pearson on the phone.

When they spoke to him, they realised he was drunk, and a roadside breath test showed he was nearly three times over the legal alcohol limit.

Pearson has two previous convictions for drink driving in 2000 and 2005, prosecutor Mark Kateley told the court.

Aidan Harvey, defending, explained that Pearson's wife suffers from multiple sclerosis (MS) and she had been released from hospital the day he was arrested.

"He has been dry for four-and-a-half years," he said.

"His wife was diagnosed with MS ten years ago and my client is her only carer.

"He rings her on the hour every hour from work and on March 31 he went home because he was getting no answer.

"She was admitted to hospital and released on April 8.

"He could see she had deteriorated so he went back to the booze, really because of the stress involved.

"It is a serious offence but the roots of the problem can be dealt with by means other than a custodial sentence. He is worried about his wife, not himself."

The case was adjourned while pre-sentence reports are prepared, and chairman of the bench Graham Frost said: "We need to hear further details about you and we are going to keep all our options open."

Pearson was banned from driving while the reports are prepared.