Fulfilling Community Service Sentence?

[jlilibet]

Hello,

I was caught last Monday drunk at the wheel; I had been stopped for about half an hour because a busted tyre made me pull over. I panicked, a lot -- I have an anxiety disorder -- and drank so much when I was parked that the amount I blew at the station was 116. Ridiculous and awful, I know. I'm going to just plead guilty for ease, even though I'm pretty sure I wasn't drunk while driving. The guy at the police station was very sceptical about what I said so, whatever.

Anyway, at this level of intoxication I will be liable for community service, but can't find any indication as to what people tend to do for community service. Has anyone done it? Can you advise?

 

[price1367]

With a reading of 116 the court will be likely to order a pre sentence report. This will involve an interview with a probation officer and they will explore what your problems are and your availability / suitability to carry out a community penalty.
they try to match skills that you have with what you could do as community service. Convicted footballers have been put to run coaching sessions for youngsters at a weekend. Non skilled people might get to put up fences or dig gardens at sheltered accommodation, or help pain a village hall. I have seen people placed in a charity shop to help out.
On top of that there could be a 1 hour supervision session with a probation officer once a fortnight to provide support, and a referral to a drink impaired drivers course, which is about 15 x 2 hour counselling sessions - if they think you have a problem with drink rather than drink simply causing you a problem on one occasion.
i am sure the police were sceptical about your claim. Did you have empties in the car to support this? You have to show that you HAD been drinking after you stopped driving AND that it made the difference to you being over the limit. The police do not have to prove that you did not have a drink. In any case, they could just opt to charge you with 'drunk in charge', which you certainly are guilty of. The only difference with an 'in charge' offence is that the court has a discretion to not disqualify for that offence.

 

[jlilibet]

With a reading of 116 the court will be likely to order a pre sentence report. This will involve an interview with a probation officer and they will explore what your problems are and your availability / suitability to carry out a community penalty.
they try to match skills that you have with what you could do as community service. Convicted footballers have been put to run coaching sessions for youngsters at a weekend. Non skilled people might get to put up fences or dig gardens at sheltered accommodation, or help pain a village hall. I have seen people placed in a charity shop to help out.
On top of that there could be a 1 hour supervision session with a probation officer once a fortnight to provide support, and a referral to a drink impaired drivers course, which is about 15 x 2 hour counselling sessions - if they think you have a problem with drink rather than drink simply causing you a problem on one occasion.
i am sure the police were sceptical about your claim. Did you have empties in the car to support this? You have to show that you HAD been drinking after you stopped driving AND that it made the difference to you being over the limit. The police do not have to prove that you did not have a drink. In any case, they could just opt to charge you with 'drunk in charge', which you certainly are guilty of. The only difference with an 'in charge' offence is that the court has a discretion to not disqualify for that offence.

Thanks for your reply -- this is very helpful. I'm sure they were sceptical about my claim too; they took away the bottle of vodka that was in the car with me (minus about 1/4, which I had drunk). I'm just going to plead guilty to whatever they charge me with to save forcing a trial etc.

 

[ellen1]

don't worry, its not scary at all. I did 60 hours. I was scared too and wondered how I'd be ale to combine with my work. I did Saturdays and also took a few days off to make it quicker. I worked in a charity shop which i loved. and also on Saturday we were cleaning some school. The people there are all very nice and all just made some terrible mistakes in their life, just mistakes. I felt comforting working with them. I actually would have gone back working in a charity shop, if I had time. Unfortunately I don't. I actually loved that job.

 

[FLYNNO]

Hello,

I was caught last Monday drunk at the wheel; I had been stopped for about half an hour because a busted tyre made me pull over. I panicked, a lot -- I have an anxiety disorder -- and drank so much when I was parked that the amount I blew at the station was 116. Ridiculous and awful, I know. I'm going to just plead guilty for ease, even though I'm pretty sure I wasn't drunk while driving. The guy at the police station was very sceptical about what I said so, whatever.

Anyway, at this level of intoxication I will be liable for community service, but can't find any indication as to what people tend to do for community service. Has anyone done it? Can you advise?

Hi i got 20 month ban reduced to 15 with dd course and 80 hours community service with a 117 mg my community service involved painting and decorating in a school there were other people there including females who basically cleaned things picked up leaves general crap really i did every saturday for 11 weeks just behave yourself cos they are strict on timekeeping no mobile phones don,t turn up pissed and don,t take drugs basically use common sense and you,ll be fine.on my second week a guy turned up 10 minutes late reconned he was knocked off his pushbike was sent off site probation officer told the courts he went to court and was given 28 day tag £150 fine and another 50 hours so basically community service is a way of keeping your arse out of jail but don,t play the game thats where you,ll end up don,t be spooked by it just turn up and see your time out when i went on my last week i had 3 hours left but because i kept my nose clean they let me sign on then let me go was there at 08.15 and home by 9 result let me know how you get on

 

[Routemaster]

Hello,

I was caught last Monday drunk at the wheel; I had been stopped for about half an hour because a busted tyre made me pull over. I panicked, a lot -- I have an anxiety disorder -- and drank so much when I was parked that the amount I blew at the station was 116. Ridiculous and awful, I know. I'm going to just plead guilty for ease, even though I'm pretty sure I wasn't drunk while driving. The guy at the police station was very sceptical about what I said so, whatever.

Anyway, at this level of intoxication I will be liable for community service, but can't find any indication as to what people tend to do for community service. Has anyone done it? Can you advise?

It seems that you should only be charged with being Drunk in Charge which carries a far lighter sentence than Drink Driving. With being done for being Drunk in Charge despite such a high alcohol reading you may not be disqualified from driving if given the chance plead guilty to Drunk in Charge.

1) You need to prove that you only began drinking after you stopped.
2) your flat tyre could be used as proof that you were not intending to drive
3) unfortunately its your word against the theirs (police) but unlike drink driving where you are caught in the act by being stopped while over the limit, its not so easy for the prosecution against you. I'd certainly recommend a good lawyer.

 

[Routemaster]

Thanks for your reply -- this is very helpful. I'm sure they were sceptical about my claim too; they took away the bottle of vodka that was in the car with me (minus about 1/4, which I had drunk). I'm just going to plead guilty to whatever they charge me with to save forcing a trial etc.

Only plead guilty to what you are guilty of!
You should plead guilty to drunk in charge. But DO NOT plead guilty to drink driving if you had not been driving whilst over the limit. Drink driving is a far more serious offence than drunk in charge, don't ruin your life by pleading guilty to a crime you did not actually commit. That will stay on your record for the rest of your life, you maybe be banned from certain jobs and travel to the USA. Also drunk in charge may not even result in a community service order like DD will !

It's even possible that if you'd had a small drink before you were driving and got a flat tyre that you could still have been under the limit and that it was the drinking you did whist stopped that pushed you over the limit. Still Drunk in Charge NOT drink driving!

 

[price1367]

The problem for this poster is that she has to show that she consumed alcohol after she stopped driving, AND that it made the difference to her being over the limit.
a quarter bottle of vodka would certainly not account for a reading of 116, so it remains quite possible that she was over the limit before she stopped. This will depend on several factors ( I take it that the poster is female from the name) and the police may well seek expert opinion on what that reading would have been. The poster will also have to commission a defence report, which will cost in the region of £300. If she loses, she will be liable for both sets of costs. Costs for a guilty plea are about £85, a not guilty plea costs are more like £620.
also, a 'busted tyre' is not evidence that a person is not going to drive whilst still over the limit. it would be a simple matter to change it, or get someone to change it. I am not trying to be unsympathetic, just realistic of the battle that the poster will face in a not guilty plea.
it could be worth speaking to the duty solicitor at court (this is free) to explain the circumstances and to say the the poster will plead guilty to 'drunk in charge' if that is proffered instead of drink driving. On a good day, the prosecutor MIGHT agree to have a smooth day.....

One other thing, a drink drive conviction does NOT bar anyone from entering the USA, nor does it 'ban you' from most jobs. It may lead to a loss of your job, if your contract states that may be a consequence, but there is a current thread here where a teacher lost her job through drink driving, (ally) but has now secured another teaching job, being honest about her circumstances. http://www.forum.drinkdriving.org/have-you-been-caught-convicted-drink-driving/69230.htm

 

[We_all_make_mistakes]

they try to match skills that you have with what you could do as community service. Convicted footballers have been put to run coaching sessions for youngsters at a weekend. Non skilled people might get to put up fences or dig gardens at sheltered accommodation, or help pain a village hall. I have seen people placed in a charity shop to help out.

In an ideal world I am guessing this would be the case but from my experience, it most certainly wasn't. Some of the people that were put on the placements I was on were totally ill-equipped for the work at hand which often resulted in non attendance and either an increase in hours or further punishment such as being tagged. I did not and do not see how this was beneficial to anybody. Sadly from my point of view, probation services were a complete and utter waste of time.

I received and completed 200 hours community service having given a breath reading of 125. This involved me doing 7 hours every Saturday at a local secondary school. The jobs were pretty pointless, ranging from going round and emptying the bins, raking the leaves in the car park, cleaning the school mini buses, picking chewing gum off tables and litter picking. I occasionally took some time off of work to complete a different placement in the week. I would say use the same rules you would for every day working life: turn up on time, do what you're told, keep your head down, be respectful and you won't have any problems. Try to forge a good relationship with your supervisor as ultimately they will be delegating your work. Some can act like arse holes but the majority are there to help you out and are decent people. I actually still keep in touch with one of my supervisors now and I completed my hours nearly 2 years back! You will meet all sorts of characters and hear all sorts of stories. I would suggest take most of them with a pinch of salt and do not get caught up in comparing sentences or hours as you will only get frustrated.

 

[martian953]

don't worry, its not scary at all. I did 60 hours. I was scared too and wondered how I'd be ale to combine with my work. I did Saturdays and also took a few days off to make it quicker. I worked in a charity shop which i loved. and also on Saturday we were cleaning some school. The people there are all very nice and all just made some terrible mistakes in their life, just mistakes. I felt comforting working with them. I actually would have gone back working in a charity shop, if I had time. Unfortunately I don't. I actually loved that job.

Community service isn't that bad at all, well, compared to what life would be like in prison! I did 240 hours among some really good folks who, like us, made a mistake in our lives which we regret wholeheartedly. It has made me a better person for it and I now see folks, no matter what their circumstances, in a different light. None of us are perfect at the end of the day, so don't worry at all. I'm back on the road now after a 3 year ban and will never look back! All the best bud, Marty