Motorist gets three-year road ban for driving Barbie toy car while over the limit

A MAN has been banned from driving for three years after being caught drunk behind the wheel – of a toy Barbie car.

Paul Hutton, 40, was spotted by police crawling along the road at night in the tiny electric Barbie car, which has a top speed of 4mph.

After a low-speed chase, officers breathalysed him.

Hutton admitted being a “complete twit” after he was handed the ban on Friday.

After the hearing, the dad-of-four said: “You have to be a contortionist to get in and then you can’t get out.

“I was very surprised to get done for drink-driving. It is designed for three- to five-year-olds.

“Originally, it was a pink Barbie car but I put bigger wheels on it.”

Divorced Hutton found the car, used by Barbie and boyfriend Ken for dates, near his home 10 years ago.

Hutton, an ex-RAF engineer, started rebuilding it with his son about eight months ago.

He said: “When it was done, I couldn’t resist the temptation to take it out. I wanted to show my friend.”

Hutton, of Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, said he had been drinking while working on the car but, when he to took it out, he didn’t realise how drunk he was.

The jeep, which he could only drive with his knees under his chin, is slower than a mobility scooter.

Officers warned Hutton not to drive the car when they found him in the road on April 4 but he ignored them and made a slow getaway.

Hutton said: “I knew it was daft, but I didn’t realise it was a criminal thing to do.”

Hutton was found to be twice the drink-drive limit.

Appearing before magistrates, Hutton was given a three-year ban because he’d had another drink drive ban in the past 10 years.

Chairman of the bench Neil Munson said: “I’ve never seen the like of it in 15 years on the bench.”