A barrister caught driving at over twice the legal alcohol limit has blamed his offence on seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Keith Yardy, from Maidstone, was pulled over by police after a night out with friends.

The 54-year-old was stopped on the A20, Ashford Road, on Saturday January 25.

He was charged with having 77 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. In England, the legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

The lawyer, of Blacksmith Drive, Grove Green, blamed his behaviour on the affects SAD.

Speaking of his remorse before being sentenced at Maidstone Magistrates Court, he said: "This is the most stupid, irresponsible and inexplicable thing I have done in my life and I will continue to regret it for the rest of my life for many reasons.

"I only have myself to blame."

He went on to explain he had been feeling low at the time with SAD - a type of depression that comes and goes with the seasonal pattern.

On the way back home from feeding his horse, he stopped for a glass of wine and bumped into some friends.

While catching up he claimed he ordered three small glasses of wine, but acknowledged he should have checked the amount he had been served.

He said: "On reflection they clearly were not 125ml as otherwise the alcohol reading does not make sense.

"The fact that I only weigh eight stone is probably also an important contributing factor that I should have been alive to.

"Of course the only safe alcohol driving limit is zero. This was nobody’s fault but mine.

"This is the most stupid, irresponsible and inexplicable thing I have done in my life and I will continue to regret it for the rest of my life for many reasons..."

"I would never have got in the car had I thought that there was any chance that I was over the limit let alone with such a high reading which I found both shocking and horrifying."

Yardy pleaded guilty to the charges and fears his prosecution will ruin his ambition to become a Recorder or District Judge.

He added: "Maybe my experience will serve as a warning to others and if it stops one person being as stupid as I have been then perhaps in a way some good may come out of it."

The court ordered that he be disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 18 months and has to pay close to £500 in fines and costs.

This will be reduced by 139 days if he completes a driving course by January 26, 2021.

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