A PENSIONER was caught by police drink driving his mobility scooter, while more than twice the legal limit on an Ipswich road, a court has heard.

A PENSIONER was caught by police drink driving his mobility scooter, while more than twice the legal limit on an Ipswich road, a court has heard.

Thomas Clarke, 70, known as Ben of Kemball Street pleaded guilty to the offence and bail act offences after missing his last court appearance last month, at South East Suffolk magistrates court yesterday.

Clarke was arrested on November 21, 2008 when police officers received reports of a man continuously falling off a mobility scooter in Kemball Street.

Prosecuting Shini Cooksley said a police officer had witnessed Clarke sitting on a mobility scooter on the pavement.

After speaking to Clarke the officer said he could smell alcohol on his breath and his speech was noticeably slow.

The officer said the 70-year-old told him he had been drinking large vodkas, his mood was changeable, at times claiming he used to be in the IRA.

After asking him to stop riding his scooter the officer confiscated Clarke's keys to the vehicle, arrested him and carried out a road side breath test.

At Ipswich police station a further test revealed Clarke had 89 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath, more than twice the legal limit.

Defending Neil Saunders said his client had admitted to being drunk in charge of the vehicle and mentioned Clarke is prescribed a number of different drugs as well as suffering mood swings and memory loss.

He said: “Mr Clarke needs a zimmer frame and so without his mobility scooter his quality of life is restricted.”

He said Clarke missed his previous appearance in court after forgetting the date.

Sentencing Peter Forster chair of the magistrates said Clarke would not be banned from using his mobility scooter but would be fined a total of �175, including costs and a fine for the bail act offence. His licence was also endorsed with 10 penalty points.