Does every area offer the DUI course

[juliebloo]

Hi, My 17 year old is in court tomorrow, he has to go to the youth court and is being charged with drink driving although he wasn't actually driving the car, but he had been earlier (about 30 minutes earlier). He was standing outside his locked car which was in a parking bay at the time but had the keys in his pocket, either way they done the breath test, which was 62, he did admit when asked if he had driven it, he said yes earlier, they arrested him etc etc. He's in court tomorrow, what i was wondering, do all counties offer the course or is it only in certain areas ?
I was also reading on other posts that if he is not given points but just a ban/fine he won't have to re take his test, did I read that correctly ?
Thank you so much, a worried mum with an even more worried son !

 

[juliebloo]

Ok we have been to youth court and ?

My son went to court this morning, we were advised to have a chat with the solictor on hand so we did. The solicitor said because of the circumstances he advised for my son to plead guilty to the offence but he is going to put in a plea of "special reasons" I wasn't entirely sure about this but he said we had nothing to lose so it was adjourned until the 18th Sep 09..
He said because he was ordered to move his car and only moved it 0.3 of a mile to somewhere off this guys land (he was at a party on a farm) and then parked it up and had no intentions of driving it home even though we are only 2/3 of a mile from the farm overall, also because he wasn't actually in the car when caught, but standing outside it might reduce the overall sentence, what do you think ?

 

[gutted]

Not convinced. One of the "special reasons" is shortness of distance, but this usually means a couple of feet rather than 0.3 miles. I was given mixed advice about this by a few solicitors. Some told me to do it, others said I'd be wasting my money.

Incidently, mine was a different "special reason" but the distance I drove was only 0.2 miles and 'shortness of distance' was never recommended as a defence. I was quoted various figures between £1000 - £2000 for representation (I believe it's very difficult to argue special reasons without a lawyer), and moreover suffered a lot of stress in the run up to my court appearance and so I decided not to argue special reasons in order to a) save the money and b) get the whole ordeal over and done with.

I was three times over the limit and there were aggravating factors so the guidelines recommend that the magistrates give a medium level community order and a 23 - 28 month ban.

Instead I entered a plea of mitigation and outlined what I believed to be exceptional circumstances and I also provided the court with letters backing up my mitigation from witnesses and also character references. I reminded the court that guidelines are only guidelines and asked whether they would give me a leniant sentance.

After a meeting wqith the probation officer I was given a conditional discharge and a 12 month ban which can be reduced to 9 months if (when!) I do the course.

This was without a solicitor.

 

[mister buda]

as far as dui courses go ttc are one of the main ones http://www.ttc-uk.com/.

and you don't have to be driving the car for the police to arrest you, just in possession of the keys. in my experience unless you have committed a dui offence previously, have blown really high, or there are extremely mitigating circumstances, you shouldn't really bother with the cost of a solicitor.