A TEACHER from Chard who was caught drink driving twice in less than three months has been given a three-year driving ban by magistrates.

Nicholas Pailthorpe was more than three times the limit when he drove into the parapet of a small bridge and collided with the wall of Donyatt village hall, the court heard.

A few weeks later he was again more than three times the limit when he was involved in a collision with another vehicle in Chard’s High Street and had to be taken to hospital for treatment, magistrates were told.

When he appeared before Somerset Magistrates they were told that the defendant had become increasingly reliant on alcohol to cope with a string of personal problems.

His solicitor Chris Ivory said Pailthorpe, who worked as an English teacher across the world and more recently trained other teachers, had taken the incidents as a huge wake-up call and had since taken action to address his drinking.

Pailthorpe, 55, of Boden Street, admitted driving after consuming excess alcohol in the High Street in Chard on March 26.

He also admitted a similar offence on the A358 at Donyatt on June 6 after consuming excess alcohol.

Prosecutor Emma Lenanton said on March 26 the defendant was involved in an accident at 5.15pm where his car collided with another vehicle in Chard’s High Street.

“Police attended the scene and Pailthorpe was taken to Yeovil District Hospital for treatment and a blood test was carried out,” she said.

The test produced a reading of 281mlg of alcohol in 100ml of blood, the legal limit being 80mlg of alcohol.

Then on June 6 the police were called to a second accident on the A358 at Donyatt.

“The defendant had been driving his vehicle when he hit the parapet of a small bridge and then collided with the wall of the village hall,” said Miss Lenanton.

“When the officers spoke to him he was unsteady on his feet and smelt of alcohol and a subsequent urine test showed a reading of 342mlg of alcohol in 100ml of urine, the legal limit being 107mlg of alcohol.”

Mr lvory said Pailthorpe was extremely remorseful for his actions and had endured a number of major personal issues in recent years involving health and other family members.

“He has worked across the world, and for someone like my client to have to come to court in relation to these types of matters is very saddening to him,” he said.

He said: “He says that his behaviour was shameful and unacceptable and understands the risks associated with drink driving and said somebody could have been killed through his driving and level of intoxication.

“He will accept any help or assistance the probation service can offer and alcohol has been identified as the main issue in his offending.

“He has already sought assistance from his GP and is receiving medication for his alcohol problems and is also engaging with AA and other agencies.”

The magistrates said the high alcohol readings and the fact that there were two offences meant they were disqualifying Pailthorpe from driving for three years.

They also sentenced him to a 12 month community order with a 25 day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and fined him £140 with £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.