Ethan Rae, 20, from Gateshead, plead guilty to driving with excess alcohol in his system at South Tyneside Magistrates Court but claims the only reason he drove under the influence was that he was threatened with a samurai sword at a party he was at and feared for his life.

The young tradesman claims he was being pressured into taking drugs by the sword-swinging individual and thus decided to leave the party, before police pulled him over on the A183 at Shiney Row, near Sunderland, due to his erratic movement on the road and returned a breath test showing 47mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath.

The legal limit is 35 mcgs.

As reported by Chronicle Live, Angus Westgarth, defending, claimed the punishment would likely cost the plumber his job, saying “The disqualification is likely to leave him losing his job, it will have a dramatic effect on him. It’s a salutary experience.”

“He’d taken people who he loosely knew to a party. He was going to leave his car.

“Drugs were being pushed around, and someone he didn’t know was waving a Samurai sword around.”

“He thought he would be pressured into taking drugs, and decided to take his car home.”

“He’s a plumber by trade. He understands that his job will go straight away.”

Despite his defence, Judge Mark Daley issued the tradesman with a 14-month road ban, a  £275 fine with a £34 victim surcharge and £85 to pay in court costs.

(H/T Chronicle Live)