A GOLFER who drove over the drink-drive limit to sort out his armed son is among the latest motorists to be named and shamed by the Wiltshire Times.
A 32-year-old woman caught drink driving in Westbury was also disqualified at Chippenham magistrates' court on Thursday.
Robert Reid, prosecuting, described how golfer Paul Belt, 39, of Union Street, Melksham, was stopped on May 4 with 85mg alcohol in 100ml breath, more than double the legal limit.
Andrew Watts-Jones, defending, said Belt, who lived alone, received a phone call saying his son, who he described as "a bit of a handful", had a weapon at his ex-wife's house.
Belt, who had been decorating his house and had drank about four pints, drove to the house to calm his son down.
The night before he had drank heavily because he was celebrating after winning a golf tournament.
Mr Watts-Jones said: "Perhaps you or I would call the police in these circumstances but they didn't because they didn't want his son to get into any further trouble.
"Mr Belt did a silly thing perhaps a thing that many fathers would have done in these circumstances but a silly thing nevertheless. He got in his car and drove from Melksham to Chippenham and sorted his son out."
As he was driving back home he was stopped by police.
Mr Watts-Jones said it was a very sad trail of events because Belt had been through a divorce and had been depressed but had just found work. Now he will not be able to take the job.
"He's done himself no favours at all and he's very upset about that," Mr Watts-Jones said.
Belt, who admitted a drink-drive charge, was banned for 23 months, fined £100 and ordered to pay £50 costs.
l Michele Yardley, 32, of Kendrick Close, Westbury, was caught drink driving in Orchard Road, Westbury on May 4. She was banned from driving for 22 months.
Michele Hewitt, prosecuting, said police spotted Yardley driving from the Warminster direction. As she went around a left bend at about 11.30pm she went over the central white line and drove on the wrong side of the road.
When she was stopped and tested she was found to have 78mg alcohol in 100ml breath.
Yardley, who pleaded guilty to drink-driving and defended herself, said: "I made a stupid mistake. It's really not like me. I have never been in trouble before."
She said losing her licence would affect her job and she asked the magistrates whether there was anything she could do to prevent it.
She was fined £300 and ordered to pay £50 costs.
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