A NEW Year’s Eve reveller admitted drink-driving after crashing his car into a central reservation after going for a McDonald’s.

Jack Rider, 20, of Quarry Lane in Connah’s Quay, had been drinking lager and cider at several house parties, but had got hungry and made a “big mistake” in driving to go and get some food. His BMW suffered a blow out on the A55 in Broughton and that caused him to collide with the crash barrier in the middle of the carriageway, which ripped off the front suspension of the car.

Rhian Jackson, prosecuting, told Mold Magistrates Court that police responded to reports of the one vehicle collision and when they arrived at the scene at around 5.45am, found Rider, who was sat on a grass verge with his head in his hands.

She went on to say how Rider was emotional but he was able to confirm to officers that the car was his and he had driven get some food, because he had been hungry.

He gave a positive road side sample of his breath and after being taken into police custody at Llay, gave a reading of 93 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35mg/100ml.

Emma Simoes, defending, told the court that Rider, an apprentice electrician, was a man of previous good character and noted that his employer was keen to keep him on, despite the impact the loss of his license was likely to have. She asked the Deputy District Judge to give Rider the minimum ban for the category, but accepted that the high reading meant any disqualification period would be significant. Ms Simoes said her client does not have an issue with alcohol, but had simply made a mistake to drive on the night in question.

Probation Officer Pamela Roberts said Rider accepted responsibility for what happened and was very remorseful about the potential ramifications of the risk he had posed to other road users. She went on to say how Rider was hoping to continue his apprenticeship, which has been running for the last three and a half years and had recently moved in to his girlfriend’s home during the week as that was closer to his place of work.

Deputy District Judge Huw Edwards told Rider that he was willing to give him full credit for his early guilty pleas and believed he was “truly sorry”

He told him: “Driving on a public road with too much alcohol in your system is very dangerous, not only to yourself, but to other road users.”

Rider was banned from driving for two years and was told he must complete 60 hours of unpaid work over the next 12 months. He must also pay court costs of £85 and a surcharge of £90.