On September 18 of this year, university student Will Gould, 20, was involved in a serious incident when he drove his father's Aston Martin under the influence of alcohol. The drive took place at 4am and ended with the vehicle overturning in a field just 800 yards from the family's farm in Warmingham, Cheshire.

Gould lost control of the 211mph DBS V12 sports car, which resulted in it flipping over. His father, 50-year-old farmer Colin Gould, was away on business and was unaware of the incident until he returned home. Will had to be extricated from the wreckage by firefighters, spending up to three hours trapped inside.

After the accident, police arrested Gould on suspicion of dangerous driving, drink driving, drug driving, and taking a vehicle without consent. He was taken to the hospital where blood tests revealed a blood alcohol level of 83 micrograms per litre—above the legal limit of 80 mg. The extent of the damage to the Aston Martin, which is capable of accelerating from 0-60 mph in just 3.2 seconds, has not been disclosed.

In court, Gould pleaded guilty to drink driving, driving without due care and attention, and driving without insurance. He was fined £120, ordered to pay costs of £133, and banned from driving for 16 months.

During the hearing, prosecutor Miss Louise Dempster detailed how Gould caused extensive damage after losing control of the vehicle on Nantwich Road in Wimboldsley. She highlighted that he was the sole occupant and the circumstances were aggravated by the nature of the collision.

In his defence, lawyer Chris Sweetman remarked that Gould was fortunate to have survived the incident, noting he suffered an enlarged pancreas due to his reckless actions. He addressed how Gould had taken the car for a brief joyride while his father was away but quickly realised he was unable to handle the powerful vehicle.

Mr. Sweetman emphasized that Gould accepted responsibility for his actions and expressed a commitment to work unpaid on the farm to compensate his father for the trouble and inconvenience caused by the accident. He mentioned that continuing to work towards taking over the family farming business remained Gould's aim.

In conclusion, as she sentenced him, JP Annie Walford stated, “Quite simply it was a really stupid thing to do but you do not need me to tell you that.” Gould now faces the consequences of his actions while working towards rebuilding his life and future.