AN NHS manager responsible for Leighton Hospital's Covid-19 wards was caught drink driving after police told him to return to the scene of where he'd been attacked, a court heard.

Gareth Jones was said to be suffering from job-related stress as a result of his work during the pandemic when he registered a reading more than twice the drink-drive limit.

The 37-year-old transformation manager, who works for Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, fell victim to an assault after he took a walk into town because he was having trouble sleeping.

South Cheshire Magistrates' Court was told Jones phoned police to report the incident, but decided to walk back to his home in Leighton.

When the police got hold of him he drove back to Hightown in his Honda Civic to meet officers, who then smelt alcohol on his breath.

The health boss' solicitor, Richard Oldroyd, made an appeal for the court to show leniency because of Jones' role as a frontline worker and impose the minimum 12-month disqualification.

But magistrates banned him from the road for 20 months, although that will be reduced by five months as Jones has agreed to attend a drink-driving course.

Prosecutor Deborah Byrne told the court that at 1.15am a police officer on duty in Hightown received a report about the attack and contacted the defendant on his mobile as he wasn't around.

When he was arrested on suspicion of drink driving his breath test reading was 78mgs of alcohol in 100ml of breath; the legal limit is 35.

Jones is working currently in "probably the most stressful of areas" at Leighton, the court was told.

"Having worked all day, he had a couple of beers at home and because he was having trouble sleeping he decided to go for a walk," outlined Mr Oldroyd.

"He was assaulted and decided to call the police as he had suffered injuries. The police took some time to respond and he managed to walk home and decided not to proceed with the complaint.

"He was called by the police and was told that it was important that he proceeded and come to the scene. Of course, he should have said he'd had a drink. But he was shaken up by the incident and he drove a mile to meet the police officers who then breathalysed him."

The court was told that guidelines would put Jones' alcohol reading into the 17 to 22-month bracket for a ban.

But his solicitor added: "He is a person who has made a difference. He is working on the operations and supervision of the Covid wards, which have doubled since the first lockdown. There are six wards purely for Covid patients and he has to make sure staffing levels are right.

"He is having to make phone calls to people about deaths and the suspension of normal operations. It is very upsetting and it is probably not surprising that this has happened - he is working all the hours godsends."

The court was handed character references from senior managers at Mid Cheshire Hospitals, including one from Director of Operations Emma McGuigan, who said that Jones was "extremely diligent and hardworking".

"He has a fantastic reputation across the organisation and he is someone who delivers, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic," it said.

Jones, of Redwood Drive, Crewe pleaded guilty to drink driving on December 31 last year.

Magistrates Chairman Sarah Pochin said that the breathalyser reading was "fairly high", but because of the defendant's guilty plea the bench agreed to cut his fine by a third to £600. He was also told to pay a victim surcharge of £60 and court costs of £85.