Drink-driver stopped by public admits guilt

Steven Mahon is due to be sentenced in January

A motorist stopped by members of the public after driving erratically while intoxicated has admitted his guilt in court.

Staffordshire Police said a breath test at the scene in Stoke-on-Trent recorded Steve Mahon, 44, from the city's Hanley area, as being five times over the legal drink-drive limit.

Alarmed members of the public "stopped him at the scene until we got there, pulling the keys out of the ignition so he couldn’t carry on driving", the force said.

At North Staffordshire Justice Centre, Mahon pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle while his alcohol level was above the legal limit.

PC Andrew Heard of the force's Road Crime Team said: “I’d like to thank the members of the public who recognised the danger of Mahon’s actions and managed to stop him from causing harm to himself and other road users."

Mahon offended while driving a Suzuki Swift on Potteries Way in Hanley on 22 October, pleading guilty the following day.

He is due to be sentenced on 27 January.

Police said Mahon gave a reading of 180 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath at the scene. The legal limit is 35 micrograms of alcohol.

He was tested again in custody, police added, and the reading was 165 micrograms - still more than four times over the limit.