Upwell man Stephen Harradine crashed car into ditch when drink-driving back to pub to find mobile phone

A 60-year-old who was drinking in a pub and got a lift home later crashed his car when driving back to the pub to find his mobile phone.

Stephen Harradine’s Toyota Hilux ended up in the ditch on Small Lode in Upwell. He then climbed out, wet and muddy, and went into the pub to seek help.

His actions led him to appear at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, where he admitted driving above the specified alcohol limit.

Prosecutor Anna Crayford told magistrates that on February 9 at 9.30pm, police were called to a report that a car had crashed into a ditch and that a drunk man had been seen climbing out of the car.

Harradine had then been seen walking to The Crown pub in Outwell. Police found him and arrested him for drink driving.

He was taken to Lynn’s Police Investigation Centre, where he provided a breath test of 92mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath. The legal limit to drive is 35mcg.

At the time, Harradine told police that he had initially been at the pub and got a lift home from a friend. He had decided to drive back himself when he couldn’t find his mobile phone.

He said to police that it “wasn’t his first time being done” and said that he “saw others get away with it [drink-driving] and thought f**k it”.

Harradine, of Low Side in Upwell, was slurring his speech, laughing and asking for a cigarette.

In mitigation, Harradine’s solicitor explained that he owns his own “well-established transport company”.

His solicitor said: “He was driven back by his friend. He panicked and thought he left his phone in the pub.”

The solicitor added Harradine is “exceptionally embarrassed” to appear in court and that he will have to find somebody else in his company to take over some of his responsibilities.

He added: “He is in a location now where there is no public transport. When he is disqualified today, that will affect his liberty.”

Harradine was disqualified from driving for 36 months and hit with a hefty fine of £1,113.

He will also pay a victim surcharge of £453 and court costs of £85.