Road ban for ex-scheme leader

A former Duke of Edinburgh scheme leader was over the alcohol limit when he was stopped on a motorway.

Steven Taylor, 38, of Fourth Avenue, South Shore, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

He was banned from the road for 12 months, fined £380 with £85 costs and ordered to pay a £150 court charge plus £38 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Pam Smith, prosecuting, said police saw Taylor driving a Vauxhall Insignia on the M55 at Blackpool on May 16 at 5.35pm. He was pulled over on the hard shoulder. A breath test showed 43 micrograms of alcohol in his body – 35 is the limit.

Kathryn Jamieson-Sinclair, defending, said her client, who had no previous convictions, had been out the previous night.

He had only gone out the day of the offence to try and sort out a relationship problem. He drank just one pint at lunchtime which must have ‘topped him up’ from the night before.

Taylor had been an IT consultant, driving about 30,000 miles a year, working on systems for schools and children in need. He had given in his notice because he knew he would be banned.

Mrs Jamieson-Sinclair added: “He is a former Duke of Edinburgh programme leader, leader of mountain bike expeditions for needy children and been a significant fund-raiser for a local hospice.”