Learner motorist's drink-drive lesson

A learner driver who moved his car to make room for a friend to park has lost his licence.

Marjans Grigass was more than twice the drink-drive limit when he got behind the wheel under no supervision and bumped a parked car.

It happened in Woodside, Lynn, on November 9 this year, town magistrates heard on Monday (Nov 26).

“The defendant had driven into a parked vehicle,” said prosecutor Jane Walker. “He had spoken to the owner and offered to give cash with a view to that owner not going through insurance [to have the damage repaired].”

A roadside breath test by police proved positive and a later evidential test showed 85 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Grigass, of Westfields, Lynn, told police he had drunk between 300 and 400 millilitres of spirit over a four-hour period. The meat factory operative pleaded guilty to drink-driving and driving otherwise in accordance with his licence.

In mitigation, Alison Muir said, for whatever reason, Grigass had moved his Ford Focus further down the road so his friend could park right outside the house.

Grigass was disqualified from driving for 20 months, which can be reduced by 20 weeks with successful completion of a drink-driver rehabilitation course. He was fined £320 and told to pay £85 costs and £32 victim surcharge.