It has been reported that a leading Kent Councillor has admitted being caught drink driving after leaving a Council meeting.
When she was breathalysed, Cllr Jane Martin was found to be twice of the legal limit for drink driving.
The arrests occurred following the police spotting a car pulled over with its headlights and hazard warning lights on.
The police stopped and asked the driver what the matter was and Cllr Martin replied that she had 2 flat tyres after driving over pot holes in the road.
It was because of this conversation that police notes alcohol on her breath and conducted a roadside breath test.
This she failed and was arrested and transported to the police station where she gave a reading of 61mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit for drink driving in England and Wales is currently 35mg.
On behalf of Cllr Martin, it was said that she had drunk 3 glasses of red wine between 7pm and 11pm.
It was further said that: “She was sure that level of consumption would not have put her over the drink drive limit.
“She was aghast with the reading. She thought there must have been something wrong with the breath testing equipment.
“She is very well thought of by her contemporaries and is someone who takes what has happened with the utmost seriousness and approaches it with the utmost sincerity.
“She is of previous good character and this was not a case of lack of thought or carelessness.”
In considering their sentence, the Magistrates’ stated that a disqualification from driving was inevitable. They further went onto say: “We feel as someone who works in hospitality that really you should know the safest option is no drinking at all.
“You read about this in the papers every day so we feel it was a bad judgement, particularly three glasses of red wine.”
Cllr Martin received a 16 month ban from driving and ordered to pay a £805 fine.
In a statement to the local newspaper, Kentish Express, Cllr Martin stated: “I really did think I was okay to drive, I would not have got in a car if I had thought otherwise.
“I was hugely shocked with the reading. I hit a pothole and it deflated my tyre, it’s not like I had been driving erratically.
“I’m not standing down from any of my positions. I have already taken steps to make sure it does not affect my commitments and responsibilities. It will cost a lot of money but I suppose it’s an expensive lesson.”
About Carl Millar
Carl Millar is a highly respected and experienced drink driving solicitor who is the principal of Millars Solicitors.
Carl has been a specialist in road traffic law for many years and represents clients from all walks of life and all over the Country. He is well known for the dogged defending of his clients and robust cross examination of police officers and exert witnesses.
With a wealth of expertise in motoring law Carl is well placed to provide advice over the phone and deal with all road traffic matters in a calm and professional way.
Getting in contact with Carl and Millars Solicitors is really easy. You can call him FREE on 0800 999 5535, or click here to send a confidential message.
