My mum's going to kill me, driver tells police

11:48am Wednesday 20th June 2007

A MAN has been banned from driving after he took his mother's car and went for a drive following an argument with her.

Andrew Mark Leafe, 21, pleaded guilty to drink-driving when he appeared at Darlington Magistrates' Court yesterday.

He also admitted driving without insurance and driving without a licence.

James Thomas, prosecuting, told the court that Leafe, of Whitby Way, Darlington, had borrowed his mother's car following an argument. He had been drinking during the evening.

He was stopped by police on nearby Newton Lane because he had not turned on the car's headlights.

Leafe told police: "It's not my car. It's my mam's. I shouldn't have taken it. She's going to kill me."

He was found to have 87mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood. The legal limit is 80mg.

Leafe, who defended himself, said he had fallen asleep before taking the car.

District judge Gary Garland said: "Drinking, driving and sleeping is fairly precarious. It doesn't always leave your system how you think."

Leafe was banned from driving for 12 months.

He was also fined £200 for drink-driving and £100 for driving without a licence.

The district judge also ordered him to pay £40 costs and £15 to Victim Support.