Royal Navy sailor is banned from driving after drunkenly crashing an e-scooter into a car

A police officer spotted Derek Wilkinson, a Chief Petty Officer, speeding past and 'wobbling' as he rode one of the electric vehicles through a city's streets.

He then watched as the drunk 56-year-old crashed into a parked car and tumbled into the road, a court heard.

A police breathalyser showed he was almost four times the drink drive limit.

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Wilkinson pleaded guilty to the offence and was handed a driving disqualification for two years and eight months and ordered to pay £1,430 in fines and costs.

The court heard that the senior sailor was out in his home city of Portsmouth on December 4 last year when he was spotted on a rental e-scooter by the police officer at around 8pm.

After noticing Wilkinson was 'wobbly', the officer watched him collide with the parked car and come off the scooter.

Graham Heath, prosecuting, told Portsmouth Magistrates' Court: ‘He was speeding by a police officer, attracting attention because he was described as wobbly.

‘It was only a matter of time before he fell off or hit something - both happened in fact. Police then intervened.’

When tested, Wilkinson gave a reading of 130 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

On the e-scooter app - which drivers must download to rent one of the vehicles - it states it is an offence to use them while over the legal limit.

Howard Barrington-Clark, defending Wilkinson, asked for leniency 'because of all he has done for his country'.

He added that Wilkinson intends to leave the navy and go to live in New Zealand with his family and asked magistrates not to impose a community penalty including unpaid work which could jeopardise that.

Mr Barrington-Clark said: "[Wilkinson] is a hero, a saint, and a fool - all three. Please don't emotionally imprison him here. Show some compassion and go outside the guidelines just this once.’

Chairman Nick Mansfield said to Wilkinson: ‘We have heard something about you and we have looked at the case and our sentencing guidelines. You're a man of previous good character. Because of your personal circumstances we feel that it is not appropriate to do a community penalty.’

Instead Wilkinson was fined £961 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a surcharge of £384.

Mr Mansfield added: ‘We are going to disqualify you from driving for 32 months. We are offering you to reduce the disqualification by 32 weeks by doing a course.’