Heacham motorist avoids driving ban

A 64-year-old Heacham man has avoided a driving ban despite knowing he would be over the limit when he went to buy more wine.

David Wells, Collingwood Close, was “elated” after watching his football team do well on TV and had ignored his wife’s plea not to go out.

He was twice the alcohol limit.

However, Wells was prosecuted for being in charge of a car while over the alcohol limit, not drink-driving which carries the sentence of a mandatory disqualification.

He received ten points on his driving licence after pleading guilty.

The court was told that members of the public in South Beach Road, Heacham, had been concerned by Wells’ conduct on May 23, 2021 and flagged down police officers.

The defendant was slurring his words to the officers as he stood by a Citroen C3. He admitted to having the car’s keys on him and was intending to drive home.

After being unable to provide a roadside breath sample, Wells was arrested, said prosecutor Priscilla Afful-Mensah.

He later blew 76 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

In interview, he told police had had drunk a bottle of Pinot Grigio while watching the football and gone to the shop to buy more wine.

“He said he knew he would be over the limit,” said Miss Afful-Mensah. “He said he had never done this before and, as a result, had surrendered his licence to DVLA and taken himself off the insurance policy.”

Wells, who had no previous convictions, said in mitigation: “I want to say how sorry I am for this crass stupidity. What I did goes against all my principles.

“It’s my first-ever offence in 42 years. I’ve had no points. I was elated because of my team doing well. I ignored my wife who told me not to go out.”

Wells was also fined £80 and ordered to pay £34 victim surcharge.

There was no separate penalty for failing to co-operate with a preliminary breath test, to which he

also pleaded guilty.