worried sick

[mini6707]

thankyou again xxx likening said much appreciated xx

bloody phone sorry.. was suppose to say like I said much appreciated...I will let you know my outcome once the dreaded day has been xx

 

[price1367]

It is your job to tell the court all the positives that you can, to mitigate the circumstances of that day.
telling the court you had been drinking all weekend with not help with that aim.......

 

[mini6707]

It is your job to tell the court all the positives that you can, to mitigate the circumstances of that day.
telling the court you had been drinking all weekend with not help with that aim.......

thankyou x

 

[AndyJG]

did the court ask you much like what u drank ..why etc I'm tricking it too n especially because I smashed into the back of another car x

court could have a

did the court ask you much like what u drank ..why etc I'm tricking it too n especially because I smashed into the back of another car x

no

 

[bev]

Hello mini6707 don't worry too much about court. You will get through it. As they say, you're not the first and you won't be the last. Have you got someone who can go with you?

 

[mini6707]

Hello mini6707 don't worry too much about court. You will get through it. As they say, you're not the first and you won't be the last. Have you got someone who can go with you?

Yes my boyfriend is coming with me but to be honest rather do it on my own x

 

[bev]

I went with friends and I needed them. I zoned out during the court as I didn't need to speak. I got a solicitor but that was very costly.When are you going?

 

[mini6707]

26 aug I have a solicitor now I will keep you updated

 

[Stupid girl]

I had a big blow out last week drunk fri sat sun n mon. drove my car the following afternoon n crashed into the back of another. I blew 100. taken to cells and blew 114 and 102. I didnt seek solicitor advice sisnt know I needed one. in court a few months time I'm worried sick cant sleep eat or think striaght. I dont have a solicitor now looked at the prices some are charging me 6 grand. I can't legal help as I earn too much. I have a great job which I will lose cos have to travel 55miles to smashed my car up insurance wont cover. will I go to prison I have a Daughter and a lovely home I'm so scared what do I do

Hey. Just thought I would show support. You have already had a lot of responses with spot on advice. Read through it and digest it, it really is useful. I'm just out of my ban. I absolutely know what you are feeling, as do many of us here. YouWILL come out of this, you don't think it now but you will.
If you are capable of speaking for yourself in court then you don't need a solicitor..I think from memory, you can have a representative speak for you on the day, someone might read this and comment. The solicitors charging 6,000, avoid, they try and get you to plead not guilty whilst they look for flaws in your arrest. This is silly and will antagonise the courts. A good standard solicitor is around a 1000.
The press went to town on me even though I wasn't newsworthy, but they had a slow day, it would appear, I got in the nationals too so I don't want to worry you but it's something you are prepared for..
Tell people that matter to you and your boss and if you are sorry for what has happened you will be surprised at how people will help. Use this time before going to court to plan your work schedule, time schedule for trains and buses and get a plan. Get a bike, great way to get about.
Keep positive and just get through it, you will be fine, it's not a walk in the park, but it's not the end of the world my love.

 

[price1367]

You can take someone to court with you, it is called amcKenzie friend, but whilst they can give you,advice and take notes, they are NOT allowed to speak for you.
you can read about it here:

Represent yourself in court

You have the right to speak for yourself in court without a solicitor or legal professional - where to get help with papers and procedures

www.gov.uk

 

[Luna2000]

This forum has lots of good points to help
Summary


Hi there are things to do Pre court
A) decide if you feel you can put a plea of mitigation to the bench - I got a solicitor just a local one cost £300 ish, he made the case - totally out of character etc
B) write a letter of remorse to the bench noting you could have caused a fatality etc
C) get some character refs to indicate out of character, to state they don’t see you as a drinker, etc I had some excellent ones from work plus ex colleagues there are examples to show them if what to write but they need to really know you & hold positions of authority/ respect.
D) if not been to court before I went for a dummy run that helped I sat in the witness gallery
E) someone to take you
F) finances there is a form you fill in at court I did mine in advance thankfully as I was wrecked in the day - we can signpost you the link
G) ask for driving course as it knocks off time have to ask Pre leaving court
I) now the hard parts -When you renew your house insurance you are asked re criminal conviction sadly DR10 is a criminal conviction so seek advice re the forum - I knew LV wouldn’t cover then went through a broker & got a better quote. Travel to Canada is not possible for 10 yrs & USA is hard
Car & house insurance you only declare for 5 years
Re car you may want a letter ready your NCB as can be transferred up to 2 years
DBS it will show mine will be non spent, depends on job but be honest at my company we have just dismissed someone who had a professional investigation against them & they didn’t say when they started it got picked up during an audit of professional quals I’m sure if she had been honest at the start she would have been ok

Final hard parts sorry : press you are likely to be in the local paper it may just be a line or if press are bored you could get featured - I did including photo, job ( high profile) ( I had done a press release to them years ago & clearly it had triggered my name in search. Nothing had been said re my job as was in character refs yet it got picked up.
This was hard as before it was on a need to know basis but work knew from day one & we’re supportive

But = you find out who your real friends are, you cope re travel ( apart from covid and can’t have lifts atm & discouraged from using local transport) & you walk tall

Stay strong any questions get back in touch
Hope this helps it’s an awful time mine was 13 months ago but didn’t get to court until November it gets easier after court
Talk about it, write things down, & this forum is great for questions.
Ps your case could be delayed due to covid backlog

I read your reply with interest. I wasn't aware of the need to report a DUI re Home Insurance and currently have House and Contents with Nationwide. I'll need to give them a call tomorrow as I have had 2 convictions in the recent past. (I have stopped drinking completely now.) First offence was in April 2017 and the second in July 2019 which expires in October 2021.

For anyone drinking and driving and thinking in their inebriated state that they won't get caught, believe me you will at some point.

And it's the gift that keeps on giving, or should that be taking, especially financially.

 

[jan01]

This forum has lots of good points to help
Summary


Hi there are things to do Pre court
A) decide if you feel you can put a plea of mitigation to the bench - I got a solicitor just a local one cost £300 ish, he made the case - totally out of character etc
B) write a letter of remorse to the bench noting you could have caused a fatality etc
C) get some character refs to indicate out of character, to state they don’t see you as a drinker, etc I had some excellent ones from work plus ex colleagues there are examples to show them if what to write but they need to really know you & hold positions of authority/ respect.
D) if not been to court before I went for a dummy run that helped I sat in the witness gallery
E) someone to take you
F) finances there is a form you fill in at court I did mine in advance thankfully as I was wrecked in the day - we can signpost you the link
G) ask for driving course as it knocks off time have to ask Pre leaving court
I) now the hard parts -When you renew your house insurance you are asked re criminal conviction sadly DR10 is a criminal conviction so seek advice re the forum - I knew LV wouldn’t cover then went through a broker & got a better quote. Travel to Canada is not possible for 10 yrs & USA is hard
Car & house insurance you only declare for 5 years
Re car you may want a letter ready your NCB as can be transferred up to 2 years
DBS it will show mine will be non spent, depends on job but be honest at my company we have just dismissed someone who had a professional investigation against them & they didn’t say when they started it got picked up during an audit of professional quals I’m sure if she had been honest at the start she would have been ok

Final hard parts sorry : press you are likely to be in the local paper it may just be a line or if press are bored you could get featured - I did including photo, job ( high profile) ( I had done a press release to them years ago & clearly it had triggered my name in search. Nothing had been said re my job as was in character refs yet it got picked up.
This was hard as before it was on a need to know basis but work knew from day one & we’re supportive

But = you find out who your real friends are, you cope re travel ( apart from covid and can’t have lifts atm & discouraged from using local transport) & you walk tall

Stay strong any questions get back in touch
Hope this helps it’s an awful time mine was 13 months ago but didn’t get to court until November it gets easier after court
Talk about it, write things down, & this forum is great for questions.
Ps your case could be delayed due to covid backlog

this wasn't my question but thank you so much. I'm in such a state I have not been able to tell family and friends. can eat sleep keep going over and over it in my head x

 

[Luna2000]

I read your reply with interest. I wasn't aware of the need to report a DUI re Home Insurance and currently have House and Contents with Nationwide. I'll need to give them a call tomorrow as I have had 2 convictions in the recent past. (I have stopped drinking completely now.) First offence was in April 2017 and the second in July 2019 which expires in October 2021.

For anyone drinking and driving and thinking in their inebriated state that they won't get caught, believe me you will at some point.

And it's the gift that keeps on giving, or should that be taking, especially financially.

Interesting that you have a policy with Nationwide for Home and Contents Insurance. I also have one and only became aware last week about the requirement to tell your insurers about you DUI. I initially believed it to be a Driving Offence but after doing a little reading realised that it is in fact a criminal offence, of which I have idiotically had 2 of since 2017 (I have stopped drinking completely now.) Anyway, one piece of good news is that Nationwide do not consider DUI's to be something that will disbar you from home insurance. I called them a fortnight ago and was surprisingly told it was not a problem, They even sent me an email confirming this, so contact them, tell them (for their records) and ask for an email confirmation.

Plus when you get to court either representing yourself or with a solicitor, make sure you ask the judge to send you an a Drink Drivers Awareness course which takes 25% off your ban. Well worth the £150.

Do not pay a solicitor anymore than £400, especially if you are pleading guilty. It isn't worth it, and any mitigation will not overcome the fact that you were over the limit.

The first time I blew 124 and the second time blew 90, so don't worry about prison, that won't happen.

Just don't plan on going on holiday to Canada any time soon.

 

[Jimbob]

I'm in middle of doing home insurance as it's up for renewal in a few weeks and I've got a real cheap quote from direct line and I've spoken to them just now and they aren't bothered about DR10

 

[price1367]

I'm in middle of doing home insurance as it's up for renewal in a few weeks and I've got a real cheap quote from direct line and I've spoken to them just now and they aren't bothered about DR10

You told him it was a motoring offence, then asked him if that was OK, but it is a criminal offence.... which happens to be a motoring offence.
I would not rely on an legally untrained call center operative to give accurate advice.
I am not saying that a drink drive conviction will mean you cannot get house insurance, just that they will take it into account when setting the quote for you.
The correct way is to answer 'yes' to a question on criminal convictions when filling in the application and when next asked what and when, declare the drink driving. They you will have a proper quote that they cannot try to pull you up on later if you make a claim and they want a way out......

 

[Jimbob]

You told him it was a motoring offence, then asked him if that was OK, but it is a criminal offence.... which happens to be a motoring offence.
I would not rely on an legally untrained call center operative to give accurate advice.
I am not saying that a drink drive conviction will mean you cannot get house insurance, just that they will take it into account when setting the quote for you.
The correct way is to answer 'yes' to a question on criminal convictions when filling in the application and when next asked what and when, declare the drink driving. They you will have a proper quote that they cannot try to pull you up on later if you make a claim and they want a way out......

Price.....
The question they ask is this on their website Never been convicted of any criminal offence (other than motoring convictions) or have any prosecutions pending.​

 

[price1367]

The correct answer to that is “yes, I have been convicted of a criminal offence” then explain. Motoring offences mean speeding, no seat belt, bald tyre etc. Drink Driving involves ‘motoring’ but is a criminal offence and has to be declared as such. As I said, it may make no difference, but if it has been declared then they have no wriggle room later.

 

[Jimbob]

The correct answer to that is “yes, I have been convicted of a criminal offence” then explain. Motoring offences mean speeding, no seat belt, bald tyre etc. Drink Driving involves ‘motoring’ but is a criminal offence and has to be declared as such. As I said, it may make no difference, but if it has been declared then they have no wriggle room later.

Cheers for full explanation Price

 

[price1367]

Your welcome. I hear people say quite often “My home insurance were not bothered about a drink drive conviction” and they are probably right... till they come to claim and they find out. If it has been declared you are watertight, even if there was a flood.......

 

[BigTom]

Price.....
The question they ask is this on their website Never been convicted of any criminal offence (other than motoring convictions) or have any prosecutions pending.

Insurance is a strange thing, unlike many other contracts where 'caveat emptor' rules may apply, (i.e. let the buyer be aware), insurance has a system where you are obliged to disclose whatever you know, whether you think it is relevant or not. Failing to disclose could see the contract deemed invalid on claiming. You then have no recourse, not knowing that you were supposed to tell them something is not a defence. The semantics of the wording are irrelevant, you HAVE to tell them you have a criminal conviction if they ask, not doing so could be classed as fraud. Drink driving is a criminal offence not a motoring conviction. If you declare it, it may not alter the quote you get (an underwriter may review it), but not declaring could cause no end of issues if you do make a claim...