Daughter taken to police

[Harambe1]

Daughter recently passed test has come home from pub by taxi, then taken her brothers car (it was a shared car) and had 3 accidents within 1/2 mile. Luckily no personal injury caused to anybody but car is a write off. She denied all responsibility of accident and was only worried about losing her house keys and constantly telling us she only had one drink I asked if she was willing to take a breath test which she agreed to. I took her to the police where she was 4 times over the limit and was arrested. She has now left home and due in court in 2 weeks. I now feel extremely guilty for taking her to the police and wondered if it would be of any benefit of writing to the magistrate with the circumstances and asking to be as lenient as possible as I do not think she realises what impact this will make on her life. Look forward to any replies advice.

 

[Celeborn]

I doubt writing a letter to the magistrate will do anything, from what I've read in previous forums they are fairly consistent on there judgments. It may atleast ensure that she is enrolled in the rehabilitation course. I was 4 times over the limit, didn't hit anything (stopped controlled on the lay by) and got 3 years + an 800 quid fine. If she's only just passed her test then she may cope well with loosing the ability to get around in a car, but she'll have to look forward to ridiculously high insurance premiums and peoples opinions of drunk drivers!

Keep us updated on what happens!

Daughter recently passed test has come home from pub by taxi, then taken her brothers car (it was a shared car) and had 3 accidents within 1/2 mile. Luckily no personal injury caused to anybody but car is a write off. She denied all responsibility of accident and was only worried about losing her house keys and constantly telling us she only had one drink I asked if she was willing to take a breath test which she agreed to. I took her to the police where she was 4 times over the limit and was arrested. She has now left home and due in court in 2 weeks. I now feel extremely guilty for taking her to the police and wondered if it would be of any benefit of writing to the magistrate with the circumstances and asking to be as lenient as possible as I do not think she realises what impact this will make on her life. Look forward to any replies advice.

 

[miss marple]

I now feel extremely guilty for taking her to the police

Don't feel guilty - your daughter made the mistake, not you. If she had "got away with it" this time she may well have been more likely to drink and drive again, perhaps with much more serious and tragic consequences. I know that as a parent your instinct is to protect your children, but think of it this way - you may ultimately have prevented her from killing herself or somebody else, and the guilt you feel now is obviously nothing compared to the guilt you would be feeling if that happened.

 

[Harambe1]

Thanks for the support, daughter has moved out now recieved 20 months ban and £200 pound fine. Hopefully time will heal.
Thank you

 

[signman]

that was a VERY lenient sentence. She is very lucky.

I too believe you did the right thing. As a previous poster said, you daughter may of thought she could get away with it again if you hadnt done the right thing.

Time will heal all.

 

[DMR]

That's astonishingly lenient, the courts would have been within their rights to impose a custodial sentence for a reading that high.

Good luck to both you - my parents were gutted when I got done, but at the end of the day they're still my mum and dad and I wouldn't be able to get through it without their help.

 

[ashamed and embarassed]

why didn't you just ban your daughter from using the car if you felt she had been drinking and you couldn't trust her?? I agree with the other posts that she will learn her lesson through this but she now has a criminal record???? You could have imposed a ban on her using the car without that happening

 

[BT_Boy]

Agree with above poster.

I'm frankly shocked that you took your daughter to OB station. You could of simply paid for the damage to other peoples property and swept it under the carpet and just laid down the law to her about drink driving.

I'm sure being 4 times the limit you would of known she would of drunk more than 1 drink.

On another note im pretty pissed off about the sentence she received I was 84mg breath so just over twice and I received 20 months and £375 fine.

Shows the law is an ass and (sometimes favours women.)

Regards,

From a first time angry poster.