Brief Description of Offence:
On jubilee bank holiday I had been out with friends for a night out and walked home with a couple of them to get food and go home. By the time we left the club it was about 3:30 AM so nowhere was open to get food. I stupidly I thought that I would be okay to drive and offered my friends a lift to MacDonald's. On route I was stopped by the police and did a roadside breathalyser test which came back as 58. I was subsequently arrested, handcuffed and bought to the station where I did another breath test this time coming back as 60 and 63, they go with the lower reading. Spent night in cells and was released 5 hours later to do a less triumphant walk of shame.
Blood Alcohol Level and Reading Type:
Breath
Roadside – 53
Station - 60 and 63
Mitigating Factors:
Not much in way of mitigating factors that the court took into account however some things that I bought up where the fact it was 4am on a Sunday night so not many people about, previous good character no run ins with law, clean driving licence held for 5 years. Didn’t cause any damage to anything or thankfully anyone. Cooperative with the police.
Aggravating Factors:
Police said that I was driving erratically and at excessive speeds round corners, Police also said that I endangered a pedestrian that was in the middle of the road
I did argue the endangering as I drove round the pedestrian safely without them having to actually move from the centre of the road.
I did go round a corner quickly so there wasn’t much to argue there
There were 2 passengers in the vehicle when I was stopped, this however wasn’t mentioned in either the police account or by the prosecutor
Legal Representation at Court?:
No, did have a chat with a duty solicitor prior to going in which was great just told me exactly what was going to happen and my probable sentence (she wasn’t allowed in for some reason so went in alone.) I had written a letter to the magistrate that I took a couple of copies with me. She gave it to the magistrates prior to my appearance and also asked the prosecutor to go easy on me which really helped I think as when it came to the prosecutor speaking, she was the one who said I was of good character!
Sentence:
17-month ban, fine of £120 and court costs of £110 (course will reduce ban to 12 months and 3 weeks)
Offered the Drink Driving Rehabilitation Course?:
Yes, intend to take in June.
Sentence Comments:
Exactly what I expected, I was at the bottom end of the category 2 banding so got the bottom end of the sentencing. If only I had taken some deeper breaths, I could have got that 1 milligram under but oh well.
Extra
I am a shotgun owner and as of yet nothing has happened? I have had a mixed response from my fellow shooters some saying I won’t lose my license some saying they might take it off me? It’s been over a week since the court so clearly, they don’t think I’m a real danger otherwise they would take them off me straight away!
If anyone needs any advice or anything let me know I’ve done the full circle now and this forum really helped from initial panic and stress that I’ve ruined my life to post sentence and now thoroughly enjoying being back on my bike