Man drank 25 pints before driving his car

A driver found drunk in a lay-by at the wheel of his car had downed up to 25 pints of lager.

Diminutive Stuart Walker could not remember getting into his car, could not stand upright unaided or perform a breathalyser for police who found him, Cambridge magistrates were told.

The 60-year-old - who is about 5ft 5ins in height and a giant crane operator by trade - had driven his Peugeot from Sawston's Woolpack pub after his marathon beer-drinking session on Monday. He pulled over in a lay-by on the A1301 to call his son to fetch him.

But a passing police car stopped to see if the driver was alright, and officers were immediately alerted to the strong smell of alcohol in the vehicle. Asked to get out of his car, Walker was shaky on his feet and had to be steadied as he tried to give a breathalyser.

Interviewed later, Walker told officers he had drunk between 20 and 25 pints and could not remember leaving the pub just after 10pm. He had pulled over to call for a lift home, he said, adding that he knew he had been foolish to try to drive.

Now Walker, who was also caught drink-driving in 1998, faces a jail sentence as well as a minimum three-year ban.