A detective begged his colleagues not to report him when he was caught behind the wheel nearly three times over the drink driving limit, a court heard.

David Ball, who had been a police officer for more than 20 years, was pulled over on his way home from a night out after he was seen failing to give way at a roundabout and clipping the kerb of a footpath.

When he was arrested the detective constable, who has since been forced to resign from the Northumbria Police, said to his fellow officer “please don’t do this”.

The 43-year-old has now been banned from the roads for 24 months.

Ball, who was working as a Newcastle-based detective constable, was pulled over by an officer from his own force in Hexham in March in the early hours of the morning, magistrates heard.

Rebecca Laverick, prosecuting, said: “It was 12.15am when a police officer was on duty coming onto Station Road, in the Hexham area. His attention was drawn to a Volkswagen Bora motor vehicle failing to give way at a roundabout.

“He followed the vehicle and activated the blue lights to pull him over. The Volkswagen hit the curb of a footpath before coming to a stop.

“The police officer spoke to the defendant and he got out of the car. He was unsteady on his feet, his speech was slurred and he smelled of alcohol.

“The defendant got into the police vehicle, where he was arrested. He then said ‘Please don’t do this’.”
She told the court that his plea alluded to the fact he was a serving police officer.

The court heard he gave a reading of 97 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 mls of breath, the legal limit being 35.

Ball, of Matfen, Northumberland, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court.

Read the full story at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/10764891/Police-officer-begged-colleagues-not-to-arrest-him-for-drink-driving.html