A driver ended up banned from the roads yesterday after pulling off when traffic lights turned green – only to be hit by a car which went through on red.
Slawomir Luczak was cleared of blame for the crash on Huntingdon Street but failed a breath test at the scene, magistrates in the city heard.
When police arrived, he was still sitting in his silver BMW, which had damage to its front end after the crash at 6.25pm on November 28.
Finn Butler, mitigating, told the court: "Culpability for the collision was not his. This was accepted at the scene.
"He has not been charged with careless driving.
"What the defendant says is that as the light turned green, he pulled off. Another car went through a red light and hit his car.
"The collision does not lie with him but the seriousness of his offending lies in the breath reading," said Mr Butler.
Luczak, 43, of Daybrook Street, Sherwood, pleaded guilty to driving with 48 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.
He was disqualified from driving for a year, fined £250 with £85 prosecution costs and a £25 government surcharge.
If he completes a 16-hour course on the dangers of drink driving, the ban will be reduced by a quarter.
Mr Butler said Luczak had four beers at home and had not planned to drive that evening.
But he received a phone call from his wife who felt ill at work and set off to collect her.
"The vehicle was legal. He had insurance for it, tax and an MoT. He has a full licence," added Mr Butler.
A Polish interpreter was appointed by the court so Luczak could follow the details of the hearing.
Margaret Martin, prosecuting, said police were called to the incident and found Luczak sitting in the car.
"There was damage to the front end of the vehicle and the keys were in the ignition.
"He failed a roadside breath test.
"When interviewed, he said it was his vehicle and he was driving to pick up his wife from work and had four beers at home before he left.
"He said he didn't normally drink alcohol and didn't feel drunk or intoxicated," said Mrs Martin.
No details were given to the magistrates about legal action taken against the other driver involved in the collision.