Driving ban given to Darren Day

Darren Day admitted the allegation in court in Cardiff

Actor and singer Darren Day has been banned from driving for 18 months after admitting being over the drink-drive limit after appearing at a theatre.

He admitted the charge before Cardiff Magistrates. He was stopped by police after driving through a red light in the city centre in June.

Day, 40, of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, was also fined £700 with £115 costs.

He told the court he hardly drank and had been away on tour with Hello Dolly and "missing my family".

Day had been co-starring in the musical at Cardiff's New Theatre alongside Anita Dobson.

Prosecutor David Roberts told the court: "At 1.50am two officers on routine patrol say they observed Mr Day's car travelling at speed in the opposite direction while they stopped at a junction.

I was away on tour and missing my family that night. I know you must hear this a lot but I hardly ever drink Darren Day

"They turned their police car round as Mr Day drove though a red light.

"They operated their blue light to bring his vehicle to a halt and they followed him. They indicated him to stop which he did.

"He was unable to provide a breath sample at the roadside and they tried three times.

"But he sucked rather than blowed and was arrested. He later provided a positive sample at the police station."

The court heard Day had 65 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Apology

Day told the court: "I'm a husband and I'm a father and I've never done anything like this before.

"I was away on tour and missing my family that night. I know you must hear this a lot but I hardly ever drink.

"I have never got behind the wheel of a car when I've had too much alcohol. My only intention was to move my car off a yellow line.

"I realise I was endangering people's lives and I'm truly sorry for that."

He asked for leniency from the court.

"I have three children and my wife to support," he said.

"One child lives four hours from where I live and to have no car would make it difficult for me to pick him up on weekends. I can only throw myself on the mercy of the court."

But sentencing him, District Judge Geraint Watkins said: "You were approaching twice the drink-drive limit.

"But I have taken into account the circumstances of the event and your guilty plea. You appear to be genuinely contrite."

The judge told Day he would have the opportunity to attend a driver rehabilitation course which would reduce the ban to 14 months if successfully completed.

Speaking after the hearing, Day said: "I don't want to talk about it. I'm upset and have nothing more to say."