A MOTORIST who was almost three times the drink drive limit was caught after he crashed following an abandoned suicide bid.

Despite 37-year-old Graham Comrie having similar related driving offences on his criminal record, a judge drew back from jailing him immediately after ruling that the defendant is now dealing with his alcohol issues.

Comrie, of Dacre Road, Brampton, admitted drink driving in Brampton last year.

Prosecutor George Shelley told Carlisle’s Rickergate court that police officers were sent to a road traffic accident on Main Street, Brampton, at around 8pm on July 20 last year.

They discovered that firefighters had released the defendant from his crashed Ford Fiesta but Comrie was so badly injured he was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Newcastle for treatment.

While he was there, police obtained a blood sample, which confirmed that the defendant was just under three times the drink drive limit.

“He said that he had consumed half a bottle vodka just prior to driving,” said Mr Shelley. The court heard that the defendant’s record includes two previous convictions of failing to provide a specimen to police when required to and one previous drink driving.

A probation officer who interviewed Comrie, who lives at Dacre Road, Brampton, said that in the month before the offence he had tried to complete a “detox”.

But he ended up needing in-patient help for his mental health. “On the day of this offence,” said the officer, “his intention had been to commit suicide in the car.

“But he changed his mind and switched off the engine – and then lost control of his steering and brakes and crashed.”

As a direct result of the crash, Comrie now suffers back pain; and he also had bleeding on the brain and continues to suffer headaches and a frozen shoulder.

Yet since the crash, Comrie had sought help from relevant support groups and he will also get psychiatric help, said the officer. “He’s really in the best place he can possibly be for what has been a long-standing alcohol addiction,” she added.

Defence lawyer Duncan Campbell said it was clear that Comrie was now addressing his issues, though he accepted that the defendant put other people at risk.

District Judge John Temperley noted the three relevant previous convictions. But the information from the organisation Comrie is now working with – The Well community – persuaded him that he could suspend the jail term he would impose.

The judge gave Comrie 16 weeks jail, suspended for 18 months. The defendant must also complete a 12 week 9.30pm to 7am curfew and he was banned from driving for four years.

He must pay court costs of £239.