A DRINK-DRIVER got behind the wheel of a camper van after he had been out watching England play in the Euro finals, a court heard.

Police received a report of a two-vehicle road traffic collision on Keekle Terrace in the early hours of Monday, July 15.

One of the vehicles was being driven by Liam Hood, 36, who was said to be at fault, Workington Magistrates’ Court heard.

Pamela Fee, prosecuting, said the defendant had been driving from Cleator Moor to Keekle and had collided with an oncoming vehicle. He then left the scene.

Hood had then flagged down a passing police officer near Summergrove and said, ‘I was the one driving that van’.

He was breathalysed at the roadside and gave a reading of 59mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.

Hood was taken to hospital, before being taken to the police station, where he gave an evidential sample of 41mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath.

The defendant admitted driving over the limit. He told police he had remained on the scene for a short while then left because he had no mobile phone on him.

Hood was last before the court in June 2019 for driving with excess alcohol.

John Cooper, defending, said Hood had been out watching the football earlier that night and had slept in the van ‘to a point where he thought he was ok to drive’.

Mr Cooper told the court: “Obviously, he wasn’t ok to drive. He stopped at the scene. He stopped there for 15-20 minutes and spoke to everyone there.

“He went home to speak to his wife. He sees the police, waves them down and says, ‘I’m the driver of the van’.

“He probably would have been under if it had been an extra 20 minutes.

“He’s currently working at Sellafield.”

Hood, of Blair Howe House, Moor Row, pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle with alcohol level above the limit.

Magistrates imposed a 36-month driving ban, to be reduced by 36 weeks, if the defendant completes the drink-drivers’ rehabilitation course.

Hood was fined £648 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £259 victim surcharge.