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Drink Driving Solicitors

We have years of experience of successfully defending Drink Driving Cases.

For free initial advice call 0800 999 5535

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Success Rate

From January 2018 to the present day we reduced 99% of our clients potential sentence based on sentencing guidelines used by the Court

SPECIALIST DRINK DRIVE SOLICITORS

Read About Our Court Victories

 

From Our Clients

 

Drink Drive Charge

Millars Solicitors were completely professional throughout the build up to my court date.  They advised me expertly and kept me up to date with any developments.  On the day my barrister was Mr Kelly who was exceptional.

My charge was thrown out of court due to a technicality.  I am in no doubt howev…

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Scott Maney

Feb 20, 2022

Drink Drive Charge

Millars Solicitors were completely professional throughout the build up to my court date.  They advised me expertly and kept me up to date with any developments.  On the day my barrister was Mr Kelly who was exceptional.

My charge was thrown out of court due to a technicality.  I am in no doubt however, this would not have been the case without the representation of Millars solicitors.  Excellent and would highly recommend.

Scott Maney

Feb 20, 2022

Drink Driving Offence

Great advice and honest service.

Thankyou

Anonymous

Feb 20, 2022

Drink Driving Offence

Great advice and honest service.

Thankyou

Anonymous

Feb 20, 2022

Highly recommend – Drink Driving Offence

Thank you so much for Carl and Ms Taylor’s help.  I am not a native speaker in English and feel worried about my case.  Luckily, I found Carl and he is very patient to talk with me in the telephone conference.  He provided lots of valuable information and answered questions professionally.  He even message …

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Anonymous

Feb 20, 2022

Highly recommend – Drink Driving Offence

Thank you so much for Carl and Ms Taylor’s help.  I am not a native speaker in English and feel worried about my case.  Luckily, I found Carl and he is very patient to talk with me in the telephone conference.  He provided lots of valuable information and answered questions professionally.  He even message us after the call to tell us extra information.  Before the hearing date. Carl followed up very well, he sum up the case with details and organized, which I thought I cannot do it well without his help.  He helped me and my family passed the hard time in my life.

In the hearing date, Ms Taylor represented me and she presented to the judge what I want to say.  I am very satisfied with the services from Carl and Ms Taylor and would highly recommend to my friends if someone that is in needed.

Thanks again for Carl to help us get the best possible result.

Anonymous

Feb 20, 2022

Drink Driving Offence

I changed solicitors half way through my case with another solicitor.  The initial meeting was straight forward, the costs were very transparent and I felt I had made the right choice straight away.  During the time running up to the court date Carl’s communication was very and on the day he sent a barrister …

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Mark

Feb 20, 2022

Drink Driving Offence

I changed solicitors half way through my case with another solicitor.  The initial meeting was straight forward, the costs were very transparent and I felt I had made the right choice straight away.  During the time running up to the court date Carl’s communication was very and on the day he sent a barrister to defend my case.

I was very happy with the outcome as I could have easily been given a custodial sentence and Mr Stuart did a brilliant job of defending my case.

All the way through all communication was clear and without the legal jargon.

Mark

Feb 20, 2022

Drink Driving

Millars solicitors best I’ve ever been with I was looking at a two year ban for drink driving, they kept me calm and they was very professional highly recommend this company to anyone

Danny B

Feb 20, 2022

Drink Driving

Millars solicitors best I’ve ever been with I was looking at a two year ban for drink driving, they kept me calm and they was very professional highly recommend this company to anyone

Danny B

Feb 20, 2022

Charged with Drink Driving

Excellent from initial contact to representation on day in Court, put your mind at ease during which can be a worrying & daunting experience. Very professional I would recommend their services.

Richard Bristol

Oct 12, 2022

Charged with Drink Driving

Excellent from initial contact to representation on day in Court, put your mind at ease during which can be a worrying & daunting experience. Very professional I would recommend their services.

Richard Bristol

Oct 12, 2022

Drink driving – September 2022

Paul dealt with my case professionally and promptly. Both Paul and my barrister, Mr Kelly, clearly and honestly outlined the potential/expected consequences. Paul was always on the end of the phone for any queries had. The best outcome was received given the circumstances and this wouldn’t have been a…

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Anonymous

Nov 19, 2022

Drink driving – September 2022

Paul dealt with my case professionally and promptly. Both Paul and my barrister, Mr Kelly, clearly and honestly outlined the potential/expected consequences. Paul was always on the end of the phone for any queries had. The best outcome was received given the circumstances and this wouldn’t have been achieved without Paul and Mr Kelly’s help. Definitely recommend Millars Solicitors to anyone finding themselves with a driving offence.

Anonymous

Nov 19, 2022

Exceptional hardship argument as a result of speeding points

The lady who represented me on the day was very thorough and as a result of her putting my case forward to the Judge with precision and outlining the consequences if I lost my license, the argument for exceptional hardship was accepted.

Anonymous

Nov 19, 2022

Exceptional hardship argument as a result of speeding points

The lady who represented me on the day was very thorough and as a result of her putting my case forward to the Judge with precision and outlining the consequences if I lost my license, the argument for exceptional hardship was accepted.

Anonymous

Nov 19, 2022

Drink Driving

Carl what a great Solicitor. I can’t recommend this man’s services enough. Fabulous, professional and caring.

Katherine

May 8, 2023

Drink Driving

Carl what a great Solicitor. I can’t recommend this man’s services enough. Fabulous, professional and caring.

Katherine

May 8, 2023

Drink Driving

Millars were wonderful. Calm, pragmatic and non judgemental. Paul was prompt, understanding and did not make false promises which I really appreciated.

I had never been in court before and my barrister was excellent. It meant that I got the minimum punishment possible and I would not hesitate to recommend Mill…

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Anonymous

Jun 25, 2023

Drink Driving

Millars were wonderful. Calm, pragmatic and non judgemental. Paul was prompt, understanding and did not make false promises which I really appreciated.

I had never been in court before and my barrister was excellent. It meant that I got the minimum punishment possible and I would not hesitate to recommend Millars to anyone.

Thank you.

Anonymous

Jun 25, 2023

Our specialist team of drink drive solicitors have years of experience defending drink driving cases.  Call our team today for free initial advice on 0800 999 5535 or submit your case and we will call you back.

It’s easy to take for granted the freedom a driving licence affords you, until you face having it taken away.   It can be a daunting prospect having to face a criminal court, often for the first time.

We specialise in drink driving, drug driving and failing to provide and our expert in depth knowledge can help defend you against a disqualification or prison sentence.

We can help defend you in six ways:

  • Police Station Procedure
  • Reliability of the breath test reading
  • Procedural errors
  • Blood and Urine defence
  • Factual Defence
  • Special Reasons

Ask Carl

Have you got a question on motoring law you want the answer to?  Carl and our specialist team are here to answer your questions.

Drink Driving Calculator

Try our drink driving calculator to get an estimate of the type of sentence you can expect.

Defending drink driving case

If this is your first offence, and you are planning on pleading guilty, the Magistrates Court will refer to the sentencing guidelines before passing out any penalty.

Level of alcoholSentenceRangeDisqualification
Breath (μg)Blood (ml)Urine (ml)
36 - 5981 - 137108 - 183Band C fineBand B find to band C fine12 - 16 months
60 - 89138 - 206184 - 274Band C fineBand C fine to low level community order17 - 22 months
90 - 119207 - 275275 - 366Medium level community orderLow level community order to high level community order23 - 28 months
120 - 150 and above276 - 345 and above367 - 459 and above12 weeks custodyHigh level community order to 26 weeks custody29 - 36 months (extended if imposing immediate custody

If, however, you have received a relevant conviction within the past 10 years you could be facing a ban from 3 to 5 years and in more serious cases a custodial sentence.  To give you a clearer idea of the penalty you face please use our online drink driving calculator.

FAQs

Should I drive to Court?

This depends on your plea: Yes, if you are pleading not guiltyNo, if you are to be sentenced for an offence that carries a mandatory disqualification.

Our advice is that anyone who faces the possibility of a period of disqualification, no matter how small, should not drive to Court.

 

The Police Officer said that if I instruct a Solicitor I can avoid a disqualification, is this true?

This can be true in a lot of cases, however, if it is your intention to plead guilty to an offence that carries a mandatory period of disqualification, then the Magistrates have no discretion not to impose a period of disqualification.

 

I really need my car for my job, will the Court let me keep my licence?

If you are facing a disqualification for accumulating 12 penalty points or more (‘totting up’) or facing a sentence that carries a discretionary disqualification, then it is possible to persuade the Magistrates not to disqualify you. However, if you are to be sentenced for an offence that carries a mandatory disqualification, like driving with excess alcohol for example, then these types of offences carry a mandatory disqualification and the Magistrates have no discretion. In those circumstances you will only avoid a ban if your case is successfully defended after a not guilty plea.

 

Do you cover cases on Legal Aid?

No. All our cases are on a private paying fixed fee basis. We will tell you what your exact fees will be before you engage us. We cover Courts throughout England and Wales. Only general Criminal Defence Solicitors (not road traffic specialists) based in an area close to where your Court case is, will have a Legal Aid Contract. You may not be eligible for Legal Aid in any event. The two tests for whether you are eligible for Legal Aid are

  1. Whether you are financially eligible
  2. Whether it is in the interest of Justice for you to receive Legal Aid for the offence that you are due to appear before the Court for. For almost all road traffic matters you will not be eligible for Legal Aid as for a lot of cases the Sentence is a financial penalty and either penalty points or a disqualification.
Will I have to say anything in Court?

Once we are instructed by you, we will advise you of the precise Court procedure. If you are pleading guilty to an offence, then you will only have to confirm your name and enter your plea. We will present the mitigation on your behalf.

If you are pleading not guilty, you may have to give evidence at your Trial, but you will be guided by Millars Solicitors.

 

What are my chances, can you give me a percentage?

We would not give a client their chance of success in a percentage. We would not give a client their chance of success in a percentage, as this is not realistic. We provide all clients with a comprehensive assessment of their case and we are instructed on the basis that the client has been advised of their chances of success.

 

Will the Police or witnesses be in Court?

If you are pleading guilty or if it is your first hearing and you are pleaded not guilty then the witnesses will not be in Court.

If your matter is listed for a Trial, then the witnesses will be in Court as the Court will want to hear what the witnesses have to say.

 

You do not have to plead guilty even if you have provided a positive sample.  See below how we can defend you:

Types of Defence

Police Station Procedure

The law around the procedure following an arrest for drink driving is extremely complex and technical, which can sometimes lead to errors being made by the arresting officer.  Not following the correct procedure can result in a not-guilty verdict.  This could cover areas such as confusion after a crash, the validity of the equipment used to take the specimen, or the wording used by the police officers at the police station.

Some procedural errors are so significant that they can lead to the case being dropped before even getting to Court.  We have the specialist knowledge to spot the smallest of mistakes in police procedure.

Reliability of the breath reading

We work with some of the UK’s leading evidence experts to help us identify if the validity of your reading is correct.  We will work together to identify if the amount of alcohol you consumed is consistent with the reading that was given.  If we can raise doubt about the reliability of the test results then that can lead to the evidence being dismissed.

 

More From Our Clients

 

First class service

Carl, Paul and Marcus were absolutely excellent. I had a terrible bad-luck case with driving and all three guys were superb from start to finish. Thorough, compassionate and understanding, these guys are out of this world. I can’t thank them enough. Highly recommended.

Richard

Nov 22, 2023

First class service

Carl, Paul and Marcus were absolutely excellent. I had a terrible bad-luck case with driving and all three guys were superb from start to finish. Thorough, compassionate and understanding, these guys are out of this world. I can’t thank them enough. Highly recommended.

Richard

Nov 22, 2023

Driving ban

Very good and reliable service with a very positive outcome from court. would definitely recommend.

Andy

Nov 22, 2023

Driving ban

Very good and reliable service with a very positive outcome from court. would definitely recommend.

Andy

Nov 22, 2023

Supportive and Professional

The lawyers were extremely supportive and professional

ELIABETH AKINGBESOTA

Oct 8, 2023

Supportive and Professional

The lawyers were extremely supportive and professional

ELIABETH AKINGBESOTA

Oct 8, 2023

Speeding court appearance

Following a stressful period of my life and the collapse of my mental health I picked up two speeding tickets in quick succession, which could have lead to the loss of my licence for 6 months. I decided to engage a solicitor to represent me at court and to explain some exceptional circumstances. This fi…

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Rachel H

Oct 8, 2023

Speeding court appearance

Following a stressful period of my life and the collapse of my mental health I picked up two speeding tickets in quick succession, which could have lead to the loss of my licence for 6 months. I decided to engage a solicitor to represent me at court and to explain some exceptional circumstances. This firm were kind, understanding, quick to reply to e-mails or to ring me back and saved my driving licence and my business. Worth every penny. Thank you so much, especially for your kindness.

Rachel H

Oct 8, 2023

Outstanding support through a difficult process

I contacted Carl as I had decided not to try the “get you off” lawyers and wanted to plead guilty. I’m really glad I did as he was super professional and supportive throughout the process – would highly recommend.

Alistair

Oct 8, 2023

Outstanding support through a difficult process

I contacted Carl as I had decided not to try the “get you off” lawyers and wanted to plead guilty. I’m really glad I did as he was super professional and supportive throughout the process – would highly recommend.

Alistair

Oct 8, 2023

Great service!

Millars Solicitors provided an excellent service from start to finish! Paul was careful and extremely thorough when explaining each stage of the case.

Nic

Oct 8, 2023

Great service!

Millars Solicitors provided an excellent service from start to finish! Paul was careful and extremely thorough when explaining each stage of the case.

Nic

Oct 8, 2023

Accumulation of speeding points

I engaged Millars Solicitors when I received a notification of speeding and additionally received a summons for failing to identify the driver of a car who had exceeded the speed limit. Both offences would have given 6 points for each and I was set to receive a 6 month ban. Through Mr Turners advice and…

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Anonymous

Oct 8, 2023

Accumulation of speeding points

I engaged Millars Solicitors when I received a notification of speeding and additionally received a summons for failing to identify the driver of a car who had exceeded the speed limit. Both offences would have given 6 points for each and I was set to receive a 6 month ban. Through Mr Turners advice and strong support from my barrister, I received a 2 week ban and no points added to my license. I believe this was the best outcome available to me. Mr Turner was very knowledgeable in what options were available to me and I felt that the case was handled smoothly and efficiently by Millars.

Anonymous

Oct 8, 2023

Related Articles

What is a totting up ban?

What is a totting up ban?

A totting up ban is when you have accrued 12 or more penalty points on your licence over a three year period. When this happens, you’re likely to receive a driving ban unless you can cite exceptional hardship.

In this article, we’ll explain totting up bans in detail, the penalties you might face and what you can do to overturn the decision.

read more

About Keep my Driving Licence

Keep my Driving Licence is part of Millars Solicitors who are a specialist firm of road traffic and drink driving solicitors who represent motorists all over the country.

Formed by Carl Millar, Millars Solicitors has adopted his dogged tenacity and exacting technical understanding of motoring law. Before starting Millars Solicitors, Carl has been employed as the Head of Department at some of the most high profile Motoring Law Firms in the country. He is a member of the Society of Motoring Lawyers and has an enviable nationwide reputation for the results he gets for his clients.

Through representing a wide range of people you will find Carl and his team very approachable and never judgemental. Their advice is straightforward and will leave no stone unturned in pursuing all available defences in presenting your case.

If you have been caught drink driving you can contact Carl today on 0800 999 5535 or you can send a confidential email by clicking here. If you need to speak to a drink driving solicitor out of office hours than please call the 24 hour emergency line on 07855 806 119.

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