Man ‘drunk in charge of mobility scooter’ breathalysed by cops after refusing to leave McDonald’s Drive-Thru in Skegness
Cops slapped him with a Victorian drink-driving conviction at the fast-food chain
A PECKISH pensioner who used his mobility scooter to go through a McDonald's Drive-Thru has been charged with being drunk in charge of a carriage.
Michael Ernest Green, of Skegness, Lincs, has been slapped with the Victorian drink-driving conviction after restaurant staff were forced to call the cops on Monday afternoon.
Witness Amy-Kate Johnson, who was visiting Skegness on a family day out, claims staff had shut the windows and were refusing to serve the 62-year-old man.
Following an alleged row in which the man is believed to have refused to move, police were called to the scene, where the man was breathalysed and then arrested.
I thought it was an ingenious idea.
Amy-Kate Johnson
The offence dates back to the 1872 Licensing Act.
Amy-Kate, 30, from Leicester, said: "I thought it was an ingenious idea.
"That McDonald's is really small and it was very busy.
"There are also two doors he would have had to get through so I think it was a great idea to try to use the Drive-Thru.
"My dad uses a mobility scooter and I took a photo as I thought it would amuse him. I thought it was a really clever idea and so did lots of other people who walked past.
"However the man told us that they wouldn't serve him. They were really rude and slammed the window in his face.
It is our policy only road worthy motor vehicles should be served in our Drive-Thru lanes.
McDonald's
"I thought there was no need for them to be like that. If I were serving him, I would have least asked him to park up and I would have come out to take his order.
"People should be looking to help people not be rude to them, especially if they are customers.
"The man appeared to me to be taking it in his stride though. He was very shocked but he didn't want to budge and was holding his ground."
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Amy-Kate's photo shows the man taking a picture of the closed window, which she says he did because he was annoyed they had closed it on him.
The 1872 licensing act was originally brought in to crack down on anyone caught drunk in charge of a carriage, steam engine, bicycle a horse or a cow.
He was very shocked but he didn't want to budge and was holding his ground.
Amy-Kate Johnson
Mobility scooters are classed as a carriage and are not covered by current drink-driving laws.
The crime has a maximum penalty of £200 or 51 weeks in prison.
A McDonald's spokesperson said: "Following advice taken from independent parties and company safety risk assessments, it is our policy only road worthy motor vehicles should be served in our Drive-Thru lanes.
"This takes into account a number of considerations including space available in the lanes and the heights of ordering points and service hatches.
"Mobility scooter users are invited to enter into our restaurants and order food at service points which are more convenient for them, and most importantly, safer for the customer and crew when selling food.
"We can confirm that after a customer in a Drive-Thru lane and on a mobility scooter was refused service, police were called following his refusal to move."
A spokesman for Lincolnshire police said: "Officers were called to McDonald's on Grand Parade, Skegness, around 3.30pm on Monday afternoon in response to a report that a man in a mobility scooter was blocking the drive-thru and refusing to leave.
"The man was arrested and has since been charged with being drunk in charge of a carriage."
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