We all know that the police are ever more vigilant on their drink driving campaigns at Christmas however, it has been reported that traffic officers may be targeting female drivers this year.

The news seems to come on the back of reports that women are convicted of drink driving offences more than any other.

These reports come at a time when many people are getting ready for their Christmas parties.

Drink driving figures have declined over the past few years, but the numbers of people being caught and convicted still cause the authorities a lot of concern.

It is interesting to note that out of all the convictions against women, 64% of them are for drink driving. That can be compared with 62% for men.

The research carried out by Insurance Revolution, indicated the most likely age group for women being caught drink driving is in the 45-60 year bracket.

Conversely, the likely age bracket for male drink drivers is between 25-34 years olds.

“As far as motoring offences go, drink driving is a massive concern – especially over the Christmas period,” says Mark Rigby, managing director of Insurance Revolution.

“As more and more people will be celebrating over the holiday season, we need to remind everyone that the consequences of driving under the influence might not just include a court appearance, but also death.”

In the UK, causing death by careless driving when under the influence can result in 14 years’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine, a ban from driving for two years and an extended driving test before a licence is returned.

Mark Rigby concludes: “We urge all drivers to look at other methods of transport home after work parties, pub outings and celebrations over this festive period.

“A taxi fare is definitely worth spending for that peace of mind.”

It has been further reported that police are likely to start their Christmas drink-driving campaigns during mid-November.

An uninsured drink driver, who ended up driving on tram tracks and causing £6,000 of damage to his week old Mercedes Benz, has received a 17 month driving ban.

The drink driver, Maurice Cooney, had to raise the alarm at a nearby office after his car was stranded on the Midland Metro tram tracks.

His stranded car caused some 5 hours worth of delays for commuters whilst the problem was taken care of.

Cooney was breathalysed when police arrived and he gave a reading of 86mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The current legal limit in England and Wales is 35mg.

At Birmingham Magistrates’ Court, Cooney admitted to drink driving, driving without insurance and causing a danger or inconvenience.

The court heard that Cooney had been drinking the night before the incident, but thought he was okay to drive.

Commenting on the case, Pc Lee Byrne, of British Transport Police, said: “With the party season just around the corner, this is a timely reminder about the dangers of drink-driving.

“While Cooney is extremely apologetic for his actions, there is never any excuse for getting behind the wheel while drunk and why he thought he was okay to drive despite only stopping drinking an hour beforehand beggars belief.

“On this occasion he is lucky it’s just his wallet and pride which have taken the hit. Had he driven on the tracks just an hour later when the trams were running, the consequences could have been catastrophic.”

Cooney was disqualified from driving for 17 months, fined some £246 and ordered to pay costs of £135.

 

 

A woman who was caught drink driving 3 times in 3 weeks, drove her motability car at a police officer who was trying to stop her.

The police officer had to jump out of the way for his own safety.

Appearing at Somerset Magistrates’ Court, the court heard that Jane Louise Webb had been drinking heavily since 1998 and had little regard for getting behind the wheel when drunk.

Ms Webb had been bailed twice for drink driving offences when the police tried to stop her on a third occasion.

Instead of stopping Ms Webb sped off in her motability car.

After blocking her car in, a police officer got out of his and stood in front of her.

The court heard that she revved the engine and lunged the car towards the office who jumped for his own safety.

Ms Webb was then apprehended and arrested.

When she appeared in court, Ms Webb pleaded guilty to 3 counts of drink driving.

Before sentence was passed the court heard from probation officer Joe Harper who stated: “When she drove after drinking she thought she might get away with it and does not appear to have thought much about the potential consequences.

“It is fortunate that nobody has been seriously injured as a result but she has now taken responsibility for her actions and feels very stupid about these offences.”

After being told that she had narrowly missed being sent to custody immediately, Ms Webb received an 8 week custodial sentence, suspended for 2 years. She was also ordered to undertake a 45 day Rehabilitation Requirement, as supervised by the probation service.

The ex England test cricketer, Alan Mullally has been convicted of his 4th drink driving offence following a car accident in Australia.

The court heard that Mullally was 5 times over he legal drink driving limit for Australia.

This was the 4th drink driving offence for Mullally within a decade and on this occasion the reading he gave was the highest in all 4.

Reports have stated that the accident occurred when Mullally was too drunk to properly turn into an alley and hit a wall and 2 parked cars several times.

His previous drink driving cases have included 2 offences in Perth, Australia and 1 in the UK

In sentencing Mullally at the Australian court he received a 36 month ban and a fine of $2,000.

Deep Regret of a Man Who Drank Then Drove

A drink driver who consumed 20 pints, took cocaine and then drove before being stopped by the police has told a court about his “deep regret” over the incident.

The 39 year old, Andrew Hammond had been driving heavily at the pub throughout the day before buying 3 wraps of cocaine.

Magistrates at Hull Magistrates’ Court heard that Hammond had fully admitted what he had done. He stated that he had had an argument with his girlfriend and smashed his mobile phone. He further stated that after drinking in the pub he released he could not call a taxi and decided to drive to a friends house. He was stopped by the police shortly after.

Hammond pleaded guilty to possessing a drug of class A, drink driving and driving whilst unfit through drugs.

Hammond told the court that he regretted what he had done.

“I’m sorry for what happened,” he told magistrates. “I deeply regret it.”

Hammond was fined £325 and disqualified from driving for 16 months.

An award winning Scottish nurse has been suspended from practice because she did not disclose 2 drink driving offences to her employers.

The nurse in question, Virginia Murchison had been caught drink driving twice with the offences being 6 days apart.

On the first occasion she was seen coming out of a local shop, getting into her car and starting the ignition. When police officers attended she was breathalysed and found to be twice over the legal limit for drink driving.

On the second occasion, a few days later, she was visited by police officers at home on suspicion that she had been driving whilst over the drink driving limit. She admitted that she had been drink driving and when breathalysed on that occasion was found to be 3 times of the drink driving limit.

Although a disqualification from driving followed, the police reported the matter to her regulator, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

Despite repeated requests from the NMC as to her employment and the drink driving offences she failed to respond.

The matter was referred to a NMC panel hearing, whereafter Mrs Murchison was suspended from working as nurse for 12 months.

It is understood that at the time of the offences Miss Murchison’s husband was undergoing treatment for a life threatening illness.

At the panel hearing, the NMC found that this “amounted to a significant departure from the standards to be expected of a registered nurse.”

The panel further reported: “In addition, by breaking the law and failing to bring the matter to the attention of her regulator, the panel considered that

Mrs Murchison had breached a fundamental tenet of the profession by failing to uphold the standards of the profession.”

The report added: “The panel concluded that a striking off order would be disproportionate and was not necessary, as a suspension order would be a sufficient sanction to address the risk of repetition and satisfy the public interest considerations in this case.”

An 18-month interim suspension order has also been made to allow for the possibility of an appeal being brought and determined within 28 days.

Mrs Murchison had received a Better Health Award for the work she undertook with substance abuse for patients and staff at the New Craigs Hospital.

West Midlands Police have reported that seven police officers have been sacked from their jobs over the past five years for drink driving.

In fact it has been revealed that there were a further two police officers stopped for drink driving with one resigning and another being given a final warning but still keeping his job.

A Freedom of Information request has shown that one of the officers stopped was more than three times of the drink driving limit at the time he was driving.

As we have reported previously, the current legal drink driving limit is 35mg of alcohol in every 100ml of breath. One of the police officers stopped blew 121mg and another blew 105mg.

It is thought that all the officers mentioned in the Freedom of Information request were driving their own cars at the time of the offence, the data showed that one sergeant blew 42mg whilst “at work”.

In the request information it was shown that a female police officer was given a final written warning after blowing 88mg and another female police officer who blew 53mg had her case dropped after the offence could not be proved.

A man who collided with a young woman who was crossing the road has been jailed for 5 and a half years, after admitting he had been drink driving.

Jake Mitchell, 25 admitted that he had been drinking when he got behind the wheel of a car shortly before knocking down and killing 27 year old Megan Brogan.

He admitted in his police interview that he had drunk some 3 pints of Peroni lager and 5 brandies. When breathalysed he was found to be 2 and a half time over the legal limit.

Megan’s distraught family have decided to release CCTV footage of the incident in an attempt to discourage others from drinking and driving. You can see that footage by clicking here.

Disappointed with the 5 and half year prison sentence, Megan’s dad Ian stated that he had witnessed the collision and had to step over her body parts “like they were pieces of meat” as he ran to where she had landed.

He continued; “I had to walk over what I thought was a piece of steak, which was part of her body.

“I saw my daughter ripped apart. I had to give over my belt to be used as a tourniquet on her bare bone, as her leg had been ripped of – like raw meat in the butchers.

“He drove a car in such a way it threw a human being in the air.

“He left the scene and tried to get somebody to drive him away. My daughter was dead – sprawled across the road.”

In his comments on the sentence handed down Ian said: “Is slightly over two years an appropriate sentence for someone who turned a motor vehicle into a speeding weapon?

“Is it enough for somebody to learn that they have taken a life, perhaps by accident, but through gross carelessness knowing they were over the limit?

“No it is not appropriate.

“He was filled with drink when he did not have to be in that car.

“This was a girl that nobody had a bad word to say about.

“I don’t think that is enough for him to learn and be kept away from other people’s daughters and sons so they can cross the road safely.

“If this footage saves another life, it is worth showing.”