A Staffordshire Police officer was more than five times over the drink-drive limit when he smashed into a parked car on a Stoke-on-Trent street.
Off-duty Sergeant Karl Breen blew a whopping 196 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath at the scene of the March 2 Blurton smash. The legal limit is 35.
Magistrates heard the 38-year-old had been drinking at his Meir Hay home when he received an urgent phone call from his 'panicked and scared' teenage daughter who asked him to pick her up.
But Breen never made it after crashing into a Mini on Wyndham Road and flipping over his Nissan.
Now the defendant - who is currently suspended by Staffordshire Police - has been handed a 29-month driving ban for the offence.
Prosecutor Lynn Bickley said: “The Nissan collided with a parked vehicle in Wyndham Road which caused the Nissan to go on its side. Paramedics found Breen standing on the road waving his arms and shouting that he was sorry at the scene.”
The court heard Breen provided the roadside sample.
But Miss Bickley added: “He refused to provide a breath sample at the police station. He gave no reason for this.”
The court heard Breen runs a local football club and set up a community club at a church.
Navpreeth Gihair, mitigating, said: “Context is crucial in this matter. He has a 15-year-old daughter who suffers with mental health issues which puts a strain on him. He admits that he has been, at times, using alcohol to deal with that stress.
“On the night of the incident his daughter told him that she had gone to a friend’s house. He was at home and had drank alcohol because he did not expect to go out that evening.”
The court heard Breen then received a phone call from his daughter.
Miss Gihair added: “Mr Breen made his way to the location and was overcome with worry for her. He realises that getting into the car was a mistake. He realises that there were other options but he acted on impulse.
“It is clear that he is of good character and this one mistake was borne out of overwhelming worry for his daughter.”
Breen pleaded guilty to failing to provide a breath specimen for analysis at the police station.
Magistrate David Martin said: “The starting point for this offence is custody. However, we are stepping back from that because you pleaded guilty before it came to trial, because of the reference you have received, and because you are clearly active in the community.”
Breen has been handed a 12-month community order which includes 15 rehabilitation days. He must also complete 300-hours unpaid work as well as pay £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.
The defendant will face a police misconduct hearing on June 7.
Following today's case, Deputy Chief Constable Nick Baker said: “Sergeant Breen’s actions fell well below the high standards that the public and Staffordshire Police demand and expect of police officers.
“Officers must be held to account for their actions in order to maintain the public’s trust and confidence in policing and the integrity of the service.”
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