Sutton drink-driver who crashed works van ‘fearful’ about how family will survive

Adrian Bostan was seen weaving across both lanes of Mansfield Road, near King's Clipstone, and nearly hitting the grass verge in a Mercedes Sprinter van, on May 26, Mansfield Magistrates’ Court heard.

Freddie Sail, prosecuting, said he pulled into a farm track on the left before rejoining the road and driving into the back of another car.

Bostan was leaning across the bonnet when a witness asked: "You're drunk aren't you?" and he nodded.

Police were called and a breath test revealed he had 80 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, when the legal limit is 35mcg.

He claimed the car in front had braked sharply and he hit it after starting work at 2am to deliver newspapers.

Bostan, aged 38, of Silk Street, Sutton, admitted drink-driving, via a Romanian interpreter.

Simon King, mitigating, said Bostan, who has no previous convictions, was immediately candid with police.

“He has lived and worked in this country for eight years,” he said. “He had not had any proper sleep from the day before and went to a barbeque where he had some drink."

Mr King said the inevitable ban will have a "catastrophic effect" on the dad-of three’s family and he is “genuinely fearful about how they will survive."

Bostan was banned from driving for 20 months, although a rehabilitation course will reduce the ban by 20 weeks, fined £180 and ordered to pay a £72 surcharge and £85 costs.