Dad who claimed he was only drink-driving so he could rescue his daughter from Killer Clowns is banned from the roads
Daniel Hood, 40, of Huddersfield, West Yorks, was barred from driving for four years after fourth conviction for same offence
A DAD who claimed he only drove after drinking to rescue his daughter from “killer clowns” has been banned from the road for four years.
Daniel Hood, 40, of Huddersfield, West Yorks, was more than three times over the legal limit when he got behind the wheel in the early hours of October 15.
The repeat offender was lucky to escape jail after Kirklees magistrates heard that he had three previous drink-driving convictions, having been found to have committed the same offence in 2004, 2007 and 2013.
At a previous hearing the court heard Hood received a call from his daughter begging him to come and collect her.
The Huddersfield court was told she was upset as men in clown outfits were out frightening people.
The blue Skoda caught the attention of cops in the area when it veered across the traffic lanes at around 3am.
Prosecutor Andy Wills said that after stopping at a set of traffic lights, Hood’s car rolled backwards when the lights changed – almost hitting the police car behind him.
He pulled over and the officers went to speak with him, immediately smelling alcohol on his breath, magistrates were told.
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Hood was arrested after failing a roadside test and further breath tests showed he was more than three times over the legal driving limit.
The boozed-up motorist had 110 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – compared to the 35 microgramme cut-off point under the law.
He claimed he had only had one drink of brandy before getting into his car and insisted his medication must have affected the reading.
Hood had been due to stand trial but changed his plea to guilty on advice after failing to obtain a forensic report.
His lawyer Ian Whiteley told a hearing earlier this month that Hood’s daughter was out celebrating her birthday when she called him in fear.
He said: “He received a call from his daughter who told him that there were these guys in clown outfits out frightening people.”
The incident happened when the so-called “killer clown” craze was in full swing across the country.
Members of the public were left terrified by pranksters dressed in scary outfits, with reports some of them were armed.
Magistrates sentenced Hood to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for a year.
He was also ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work and complete six months of alcohol treatment.
And he was banned from driving for four years and ordered to pay £85 court costs, as well as a victim surcharge of £115.
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