A RUARDEAN man who decided to sleep off a night on the booze in his car ended up in front of court on motoring charges.

When police found Stephen Baldwin he was asleep at the wheel of his Volkswagen Golf with the engine running, the interior lights on and the radio playing.

But the key was in the ignition and Baldwin was arrested for being in charge of a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

The police were on patrol in Morse Road, Drybrook when they spotted the Golf at 10.40pm on September 11, prosecutor Cathy Thornton told Cheltenham magistrates.

She said: “The engine was running, the lights were on inside the car and the radio was playing.

‘‘The police woke the driver up and he identified himself as Stephen Baldwin, of Crooked End Place, Ruardean.

“The police noticed that he smelt of alcohol and (Baldwin) failed a roadside breath test.

“He was taken into custody and was subjected to a formal breath test in which he registered having 87 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – the legal limit being 35.”

Holly Burton, defending explained that Baldwin had gone out that evening with friends following a relationship breakdown.

“He realised that he had too much to drink and made the decision not to drive home,” Ms Burton said.

“However he decided to remain in the vehicle. He did not appreciate that by having the keys in the ignition he was committing an offence of being in charge of a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

“Baldwin is genuinely remorseful for his actions. He is a self-employed builder who had no intention of committing any offence. It was committed completely out of ignorance.”

Baldwin admitted being in charge of a motor vehicle an was fined £184 with 10 points on his licence.

Baldwin was also ordered to pay court costs of £85 and a mandatory surcharge of £74.