Manchester man turns up to police job interview drunk, gets banned from driving

A man who turned up drunk to a job interview with a police force was arrested on the spot and given a driving ban.

Andrew Jackson, 48, was disqualified from driving for one year and given a £235 fine after pleading guilty at Bury and Rochdale Magistrates' Court on Friday (10 February).

He had been interviewing for an IT position with Greater Manchester Police (GMP) on 25 January when a strong smell of alcohol was noticed, the police force said.

One of the GMP interviewers said: "I asked if he had any trouble in finding us, as soon as he began to speak I could smell something on his breath, which I was thought was stale alcohol.

"He mentioned that he did have a little trouble in finding somewhere to park, which immediately raised concerns.

"Shortly after he arrived in the small office, the smell of alcohol became overpowering."

At end of the interview, a GMP staff member made an excuse to leave the room and sought advice from a police officer.

An on-duty traffic officer was called, who asked Jackson if he had been drinking – to which he replied no.

Jackson, of Barlow Moor Road, Didsbury, Manchester, instead claimed he had been out the night before for a meal with his wife, where they had shared a bottle of wine.

But after he was escorted out of the building to a nearby police car, he was breathalysed and shown to be over the legal alcohol limit for driving. He was then taken to a police station.

Inspector Tony Allt, of GMP's Roads Policing Unit, said: "Although the circumstances surrounding this particular incident are unusual, this case highlights the fact that there are a number of motorists who think they are fine to drive after drinking the night before.

"There are a number of factors that can determine how alcohol is absorbed and processed in the body, but for the individual in this case to give a reading of 46 micrograms, remembering that the legal limit is 35, clearly shows that a significant amount of drink must have been consumed the previous evening.

"If in doubt of your alcohol level, seek alternative travel arrangements. Never drive while over the limit and risk losing your licence, livelihood or possibly your or someone else's life. Always make it none for the road."