Drink-driver Peter Naylor hit a PCSO who was trying to stop his car before crashing into bollards and narrowly missing pedestrians outside a a supermarket.

The 55-year-old was behind the wheel of a Renault Megane on the Tesco car park, in Kidsgrove, when members of the public alerted the police as he had been spotted drinking.

When an officer and PCSO arrived they discovered him slumped behind the wheel with a bottle of whiskey in the footwell.

But Naylor started the engine and drove forwards knocking the PCSO, who was in front of the car, on top of the bonnet and then onto the floor.

He then knocked over bollards, struck a half price sandwich board and nearly hit a dad and his four-year-old daughter.

The drama only came to an end when Naylor was dragged from his car.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard the PCSO suffered a broken middle finger, bruising and swelling to his elbow and grazes to his head.

Now Naylor has been jailed for eight months.

Police at Tesco Kidsgrove

Prosecutor Caroline Harris said the incident happened at 3pm on March 5.

She told the court: "The officer asked the defendant for the keys to the car, but the defendant tried to pull the door shut and started the engine.

"The PCSO was standing in front of the bonnet and he drove towards him. He was pushed on top of the car and then to the ground.

"The officer stood at the window had hold of Naylor and tried to stop him, but he had concerns about his own safety and had to let go of the defendant.

"He narrowly missed members of the public and knocked down some bollards and crashed into a half price sandwich board at some speed.

"He clearly presented a danger to members of the public shopping and narrowly missed a silver car. A gentleman described how he and his four-year-old daughter were nearly hit.

"When the car drove into the bollards it was brought to a stop. With assistance from members of the public and security, the defendant was pulled and pushed from the vehicle to be arrested.

"He is described as being aggressive repeatedly saying 'I want to go' resisting his arrest."

At the police station Naylor provided an alcohol reading of 123 micrograms in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal drink-drive limit is 35.

At the time of this offence he was disqualified from driving for 28 months after being convicted of drink-driving on Boxing Day.

In interview he admitted driving to Congleton to take his elderly parents to a dentist appointment. He then drove to Tesco in Kidsgrove and bought sherry and cider.

He was surprised and shocked by what he had done as his son is a police officer.

In a victim statement, the PCSO said he had lost sleep as a result of the incident and still suffers with flashbacks. His family still have concerns for him on a daily basis and there have been conversations about a career change.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court

Naylor, of Pennyfields Road, Newchapel, pleaded guilty to drink-driving, dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance.

Scott Ashdown, mitigating, said Naylor had turned to alcohol as a 'coping mechanism' after his brother was diagnosed with kidney cancer.

He said: "A working man before he lost his employment with a strong work ethic, but unfortunately a man with a lot of responsibilities.

"Mr Naylor's father is 84 and in December 2019 suffered a stroke and that affected his mobility.

"Mr Naylor's brother was doing the lion's share of the care for his parents, but following the diagnosis that his brother was suffering with kidney cancer, Mr Naylor found himself burdened with responsibilities for his parents and brother.

"His brother's diagnosis came as a shock to the family and in that context it is clear he turned to drink as a coping mechanism.

"He is deeply remorseful and expresses his own disgust at his behaivour. He is angry at himself for what he has done.

"There is a wake up call on March 26. He went to the doctor and enrolled on an alcohol course and has not consumed alcohol since that day."


Judge Sally Hancox disqualified Naylor for three years and four months and until he passes an extended re-test.

The ban will start when he is released from jail.

Judge Hancox said: "I'm very troubled that you had taken a decision to take your parents to the dentist, that was a decision which you took in complete disregard for what a court had told you only eight or nine weeks earlier."