By Lucy Caulkett And Sam Trotter-
A drunk psychiatrist who narrowly avoided a 10ft drop into the River Derwent, has been banned from driving after admitting failing to provide a drink-drive specimen after the incident.
Dr. Deepak Sirur also disqualified from driving for 18 months but if he completes a drink-drive rehabilitation course this could be reduced by 19 weeks.
Sirur may need psychiatric help himself after driving drink and refusing to co-operate with a blood specimen test. Sirur was heading to a call-out request at a police station when the crash involving his Volvo happened in Lea Road, Cromford. The usually bright psychiatrist showed no wisdom in his decision to drive whilst over the limit, bringing his profession into disrepute as a consequence.
Chesterfield’s Magistrates Court heard that when police arrived, the 44-year-old appeared intoxicated and a provisional roadside breath test provided a reading of 155 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, showing him over the 35mg limit.
Lynn Bickley, prosecuting said when police attempted to secure a necessary blood test specimen at the hospital, Sirur appeared to be drifting in and out of sleep.
A psychiatrist who overturned his car, narrowly avoiding a 10ft drop into the River Derwent, has admitted failing to provide a drink-drive specimen after the incident.
Chesterfield Magistrates Court heard that when police arrived, the 44-year-old appeared intoxicated and a provisional roadside breath test provided a reading of 155 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The limit is 35mg. Sirur made matters worse when he appeared to be drifting in and out of sleep as police tried to secure a necessary blood test specimen at the hospital.
Prosecutor, Lynn Bickley said that that once blood was being taken, Sirur pulled away causing the needle to come out of his arm and nearly hit a police officer. Sirur, of Holmfield Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to failing to provide a drink-drive specimen after the incident in September.
Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard that the defendant told police he had been struggling with mental health difficulties and was having dark thoughts. He had been driving around and had stopped for something to eat and had a glass of wine prior to the accident.
The psychiatrist said he had been on-call that evening and had been heading to a call-out request at Buxton police station when the collision happened. Sirur admitted he had been contemplating jumping off something or committing suicide and after the collision he said he had drunk some vodka.
Sirur’s solicitor, Steve Brint, said Sirur had been struggling with the pressure from work and had been undergoing treatment for suicidal thoughts. Excuses are always the answer provided by law breakers once caught and brought before the courts. It is very ironic that a man who helps people suffering from psychiatric illness was himself struggling with suicidal thoughts. Funnily enough, he never went through these suicidal thoughts that were tormenting him, but chose to attend to a client when under the heavy influence of alcohol. He might as well advise his clients to use alcohol as a mechanism of coping with their conditions.
Mr Brint explained that Sirur’s crashed car had slid quite a distance and had been close to going over a 10ft drop into the River Derwent.
He claimed Sirur had pulled his arm away with an involuntary action when blood was being taken and it had not been a deliberate action. Sirur was signed-off with pay but he had not been suspended while his fitness to practice was considered by the General Medical Council. Magistrates fined Sirur £1,722 and ordered him to pay a £170 victim surcharge and £85 costs.