36-year-old man has lost both his driving licence and his business after spending an evening in the pub before drink driving his work van, crashing twice in the process.
Warrington magistrates heard that police received reports of a Mercedes Sprinter colliding with two cars at about 1am on October 31.
Witnesses also said they saw the van crash into railings and, after failing to reverse out of the street furniture, the driver fled on foot.
Subsequent CCTV footage captured the van travelling on the wrong side of the road “at high speed” before the impact.
Police found the defendant’s phone in the van after he fled and found him in the company of a woman a few minutes later.
A breath test following the driver’s arrest found him to have 87mcg alcohol per 100ml breath. The legal limit for drink driving is 35mcg.
The prosecution informed the court that his driving caused “significant damage” to both the railings and the other vehicles.
The man, representing himself, told the court he had spent about five hours in a pub on the night in question, having “seven or eight drinks” and “got talking to a girl” who was struggling to get a taxi. He offered to drive her home.
“I made the rash decision to drive,” he said.
“When I hit the two parked cars I panicked.”
Previously self-employed delivering fruit machines and pool tables to pubs, he has been forced to close his business and is now unemployed.
After pleading guilty to drink driving and three counts of failing to stop after an accident he was banned from driving for 11 months and ordered to pay £85 costs and a victim surcharge of £95. He was also handed a 12-mont community order with 200 hours of unpaid work.
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.
