'Functioning alcoholic' narrowly avoids prison after being found driving massively over limit morning after binge
A man who had more than four times the legal alcohol limit in his system the morning after a massive boozing binge has narrowly avoided prison.
Functioning alcoholic Michael Fanning was found parked up in a black Vauxhall Astra on the A5 dual carriageway in Shrewsbury with the ignition on, his hands on the wheel, and lights switching on and off on November 18, 2023.
Telford magistrates were told that the 51 year-old had three similar convictions against his name in 2004, 2011 and 2015.
Hannah Baddeley, prosecuting, said Fanning, of Hinwood Road, Westbury, near Shrewsbury, had recorded a non-evidential roadside breath test of 153 mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath before recording a reading of 144 in custody. The legal limit is 35.
Police had been called to the scene by a member of the public at 7.40am and the court heard that "he needed help walking and was unsteady on his feet".
The court heard from the Probation Service that Fanning had been on his way to work at the time and had been a "functioning alcoholic" since his 20s and it has become a dependency for him. The court was told that he would benefit from having some support.
Probation had also found that Fanning's "incredibly high reading" had been caused by his drinking the night before.
