Drink-driver thought Tilney St Lawrence driveway was lay-by

A drink-driver has been banned for six years for his seventh excess alcohol conviction.

Andrew Power, who was almost twice the limit, was also ordered to do 55 hours’ unpaid work as part of a 12-month community order.

Magistrates in Lynn were told on Thursday that he was seen to be parked across someone’s drive in St John’s Road, Tilney St Lawrence, at 3am on June 30. He thought it was a layby.

Police were called and found the 48-year-old defendant standing next to a Ford van.

“He said he was driving to his digs,” said prosecutor Denise Holland.

Following his arrest, Power blew 69 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit being 35.

The court was told that Power had six previous convictions for drink-driving – the most recent being in 2006 – and a failing to provide a sample offence in 2017.

Andrew Cogan, mitigating, told the bench: “The record speaks for itself and that will be the most concern for the you.

“Six similar previous offences. A significant period of disqualification is what is required.”

Mr Cogan said Power, a roofer, was switching between work sites at Corby and Lynn.

“What he told the police is that he’d had a couple of shandies before getting in the van to drive,” added the solicitor.

“He was going back to his accommodation, felt tired and thought he’d parked in a layby. He thought he was fit to drive but the reading doesn’t lie.”

Power, of Fifth Avenue, Portsmouth, was also ordered to pay £105 costs and £95 victim surcharge.