A drink driver who was described in court as a "Good Samaritan" has paid the price of picking up his friend from a "dangerous situation" while under the influence.

Matthew Hudson, of Corsham Road in Penhill, appeared in Swindon Magistrates' Court on July 27 for a drink driving charge solicitors called "unusual".

The 29-year-old software developer was found by police at around 4.15am on July 8 at Drove Road in Swindon smelling of alcohol and with a female passenger in his car.

Despite Hudson being proven to be over the drink-drive limit in a roadside breath test, prosecutor Keith Ballinger noted that the case was strange because: "The female in his car was naked other than wearing a dressing gown.

“Hudson had driven to pick his friend up from a dangerous situation and told police he had gone to take her home.

"He said he had found her stripped naked in the property and he had removed her from the situation.

“He had had perhaps two pints of alcohol and a shot at the pub earlier that night and claims he had only driven the vehicle to pick up the friend.

"The situation could be deemed as an emergency and he had been rescuing her.”

The Chair of the Magistrate's Bench told Hudson he was a 'good samaritan'The Chair of the Magistrate's Bench told Hudson he was a 'good samaritan' (Image: Social media) Hudson pleaded guilty to the charge of drink driving, but Mark Glendenning, defending, pointed out that drink driving had not been his intention.

"He received a phone call from her in considerable distress," said Mr Glendenning.

“Not thinking of any other option, he went in the car to rescue her from immediate danger, where he found her in a state of undress.

“At the time he says he didn’t think he would be over the limit because it had been some time."

The female passenger has now been interviewed formally about her situation by police and others have been interviewed in relation to the things she has alleged, which is being dealt with as a separate case.

The 29-year-old appeared before Swindon Magistrates CourtThe 29-year-old appeared before Swindon Magistrates Court (Image: Newsquest)

Chair of the bench Natalie O'Connell went so far as to praise the defendant for his good intentions, stating: “It doesn’t escape us that you were drink driving, but you were also a Good Samaritan in circumstances that meant someone could have suffered a great deal.”

Regardless of his intentions, Hudson has still been given a 12-month disqualification from driving, offered a drink drive course, fined £120 and ordered to pay a surcharge of £48.

This leaves him with a total bill of £168.