Stewart O’Neil, a 65-year-old disabled pensioner residing in a care home in Southport, Merseyside, has found himself on the wrong side of the law after a booze-fueled escapade on his newly acquired mobility scooter.

The care home had provided O’Neil with the 15mph electric vehicle to facilitate more frequent visits to his son, who lives just a mile away. However, things took a wild turn on October 2 when O’Neil, having treated himself to a pedicure, decided to celebrate the occasion with a few too many vodkas.

Witnesses observed the dad-of-one careening along the pavement at breakneck speed, zig-zagging uncontrollably, before veering off course and colliding with the rear of a car. Fortunately, neither O’Neil nor the startled driver suffered injuries in the collision.

A subsequent breath test revealed that O’Neil was more than twice the legal alcohol limit. The disabled daredevil admitted to driving under the influence and faced a 12-month driving ban at Sefton Magistrates’ Court.

Although originally charged with drink driving, the charge had to be modified due to the exemption of motorised scooters. O’Neil is currently accompanied by care home staff on errands, and his trusty mobility scooter is temporarily off the road for repairs.

In court, Ed Handley, the prosecutor, described the incident: “She says the defendant, and I quote, ‘was clearly very drunk.'” Handley explained that the motorist had witnessed O’Neil’s scooter careening out of control before the collision.

Daniel Lupton, defending O’Neil, cited the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, which exempts medical mobility scooters from prosecution for driving under the influence. However, he acknowledged that the exemption doesn’t apply if the vehicle poses a threat to others.

Lupton revealed O’Neil’s challenging health history, including a brain injury from a fall a decade ago, resulting in the removal of part of his skull and the insertion of a metal plate. Suffering from epilepsy and diabetes, O’Neil’s mobility scooter had become a vital means to visit his son.

Lupton stated: “He has never held a driver’s licence and had left the care home on his mobility scooter to go for a pedicure. He was so happy with the results of the pedicure that he drank vodka and the rest is history.”

Now under strict supervision, O’Neil’s freedom to venture out unsupervised has been severely restricted. The care home manager now chauffeurs him to the shops, while the beleaguered mobility scooter awaits repairs.

In addition to the driving ban, O’Neil was slapped with a £180 fine along with £192 in costs and victim surcharge, adding a sobering conclusion to his tipsy scooter misadventure.