A FATHER was pulled over for drink-driving after going to the aid of his adult son following a car crash.

Clive William Foster, of Kenilworth Avenue, Bishop Auckland, was pulled over by police on his way to help his son and found to be about two times over the legal drink drive limit.

The 64-year-old pleaded guilty to drink-driving when he appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates Court yesterday.

The court heard that officers pulled Mr Foster over on November 11, after he had been for a family meal, and carried out a roadside breath test.

Mr Foster had only gone out in the car because he had received a phone call from his son, who had driven off after an argument with his wife and crashed into a dry stone wall near Binchester Roman Fort.

Michael Clarke, mitigating, said: “What happened on the night in question was Mr Foster and his family had a meal at the Pollards public house in Bishop Auckland which is walking distance from his house. He did not expect to drive anywhere that night.”

After he walked home his daughter in law turned up “in a distressed state”, said Mr Clarke.

“Then he received a message that his son in his car had left the road and collided with a wall. The car was off the road and couldn’t be driven, so responding to the call from his son Mr Foster headed to Byers Green to find his son.”

The court heard that Mr Foster worked as a courier and would lose his job as a result of the driving ban, which is mandatory in drink driving cases.

He was banned from driving for 17 months, fined £300, ordered to pay £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.