Man loses licence after drink-driving in toy Barbie car
Paul Hutton was given a mandatory three-year ban because he had received another drink-drive ban within the past ten years Photo: PETER LAWSON/EASTNEWS PRESS
Paul Hutton, 40, was pulled over by police as he drove an electric Barbie car, which moves slower than a mobility scooter, near his home in Essex.
Mr Hutton, who has four children Simon, 17, Calum, 14, Laina, 12, and John, 11, admitted being a 'complete twit'.
Speaking after the hearing at Colchester magistrates court, he said: "You have to be a contortionist to get in, and then you can't get out.
"I was very surprised to get done for drink-driving but I was a twit to say the least.
"It is designed for three-to-five-year-olds.
"Originally it was a pink Barbie car but I put bigger wheels on it but it's not fast.
"I'm not unhappy with my punishment, just a little bit surprised."
Mr Hutton, who is divorced, is a former RAF aeronautical engineer who now studies electrical engineering at Colchester Institute.
He explained: "I'm in the third year of my electrical engineering course and it was a little project I was doing with my son who is doing a car mechanics course.
"When it was done I couldn't resist the temptation to take it out."
Mr Hutton, was found to be twice the drink-drive limit, he said.
Appearing before magistrates last week, he admitted driving the toy car while drunk.
He was given a mandatory three-year ban because he had received another drink-drive ban within the past ten years.
Magistrates also gave him a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay 85 court costs.
Chairman of the bench Neil Munson said: "This is most unusual.
"I have never seen the like of it in 15 years on the bench.
"The vehicle is not even capable of doing the speed of a mobility scooter and could be outrun by a pedestrian.
"Taking this into account, we feel we can impose a sentence of a conditional discharge for a period of 12 months."
The car was confiscated by police until the hearing but Mr Hutton now hopes to get it back.
Y hablando de conducir... Tercero este finde en el "Campeonato chorras de karting entre colegas" (Y eso que en la primera vuelta me mandaron al ultimo puesto de un ostion, pero pedazo remontada, jeje no se nota no que me lo pase de coa? XD )
