A CHESTER man stopped by police while riding a Ginger electronic scooter with a female passenger on a pavement was found to be over the drink-drive limit.

Ryan Eastwood, 24, of Lower Bridge Street, pleaded guilty at the first opportunity to the charge of drink-driving when he appeared at Chester Magistrates Court on Tuesday, November 23.

He was handed a 12-month driving ban and told to pay more than £600 in fines and costs.

Prosecuting, Scott Woodward said officers were on patrol on Saturday, July 10 when they saw Eastwood riding the Ginger e-scooter on Union Street with a female passenger between his arms, with her holding the handlebars. The e-scooter was being ridden on the pavement.

Officers stopped the e-scooter and spoke to Eastwood through the police car's open window.

While speaking, Mr Woodward explained, officers said Eastwood's speech sounded slurred, and asked him if he had been drinking. Eastwood replied he had.

Eastwood was arrested and a blood sample was taken, which showed there was 94 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, compared to the legal limit of 80.

Eastwood had no previous convictions.

Defending, Howard Jones said Eastwood fully co-operated with police.

The defendant had been out for lunch with the female passenger earlier that day in Knutsford and had had a couple of drinks.

Having returned to Chester by train, Eastwood decided to use the Ginger e-scooter instead of getting a taxi.

He said he did not think it would be an offence to ride one while over the limit, and that he did not feel he was over the limit, and "felt ok to ride it".

The reading given was relatively low.

The court heard Eastwood worked in Manchester and travelled there by train, and he did not have a car.

Magistrates imposed a 12-month driving ban, and Eastwood was fined £550 plus £85 court costs and a £55 victim surcharge.

Eastwood was also offered the opportunity to complete a drink-driving rehabilitation course which would reduce the length of his ban by one quarter.