Bantams star banned after drink-driving (From Ilkley Gazette)
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Bantams star banned after drink-driving
4:22pm Thursday 18th October 2012 in Local news By Ilkley Gazette reporter
Former soccer star Dean Windass, of Menston, leaves court after being handed a 28-month ban for drink-driving
Bradford City legend Dean Windass was fully aware he was over the limit when he got into his silver Mercedes-Benz after drinking wine and lager at a football match in Hull, a court was told this week.
The 43-year-old Menston resident was banned from driving for 28 months and ordered to carry out 250 hours’ unpaid community work by Bradford and Keighley Magistrates on Monday after pleading guilty to being three-times over the legal drink-drive limit.
The former Bantams star had drunk two large glasses of wine and two pints of lager in Hull before deciding to drive back home to Menston after plans to stay over at a friend’s had not worked out.
But he got lost on the way back and fell asleep at the wheel, colliding with a parked car in Otley Road, Baildon.
Police were called and he was arrested.
Windass, of St John’s Park, Menston, who now works for a fixings company in Hull, was also ordered to pay a total of £165 costs.
He opted to go on a drink-drive rehabilitation course, which could reduce his ban by 28 weeks.
In mitigation, solicitor Maria Tempkow said depression “had got the worst” of her client, who had struggled with his lifestyle change since retiring from football. His father had also died and he had marriage problems.
Miss Tempkow said: “He says he does not have a drink problem, he says he’s not an alcoholic. He has been for rehabilitation where he has been told his problem is not alcohol – it’s depression.”
She said her client “bitterly regretted” getting into his car that night, but was in court showing the attitude “when you’ve done something wrong, you hold your hands up”.
A probation officer, who gave magistrates a report, said Windass was “ashamed and embarrassed for what he had done” and that he had vowed it would never happen again.
The striker was top scorer for Bradford City in four consecutive seasons before leaving for Hull City, where he scored the winning goal in the 2008 Championship play-off final.
