Former Colchester United chief exec Bradshaw in court (From Gazette)

Former Colchester United chief exec Bradshaw in court

8:40am Saturday 20th March 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(4)

COLCHESTER United’s former chief executive was more than three times over the drink-drive limit when he crashed his car, a court heard.

Steve Bradshaw had 257mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood when his Audi A6 smashed into a parked car. The legal limit is 80.

Colchester magistrates banned 43-year-old Bradshaw for two years and ordered him to complete 100 hours of unpaid community work.

Speaking after yesterday’s hearing, Bradshaw, who resigned after his arrest, said: “I accept my punishment. I have paid a high price for it willingly.”

He added: “It was an aberration. I can’t comment on the alcohol level. It is such a new environment for me and I don’t know about it. I bitterly regret my actions that day.

“I would like to thank everyone who’s been so supportive.”

The court heard Bradshaw went out to lunch in Colchester town centre on December 14, then got into his car to drive to his home in Harwich Road, Beaumont-cum-Moze.

At about 8.15pm, police were called to a crash in The Street, Bradfield, involving Bradshaw’s Audi and a Ford Fiesta.

They found him “unsteady on his feet” and his speech “slurred”. He provided a breath sample after the crash, but was unable to give a second one.

Instead, officers tested his blood-alcohol level at the police station, which showed 257mgs of alcohol in 100mls.

His lawyer, Anna Perera, said: “Mr Bradshaw stayed on the scene after the accident and has willingly complied with the police.

"He has pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and has apologised unreservedly. There will be no one who can punish him more severely than he has punished himself.”

Michael Hearn, chairman of the bench, told Bradshaw: “We have read the information and character references provided and we know how seriously you are taking this.

“However, it is a very high reading.”

After his arrest, Bradshaw said he had been to a staff Christmas lunch and thought he had drank two or three glasses of wine.

He is finalising a job overseas, set to start in June.