Please help

[Justadmin]

Hi all,

I really hope you can help us here. My husband was caught drunk driving last night, he spent a night in the cells and he's due in court in a couple of weeks. He's 29, it's his first offence. Honestly it breaks my heart to think of him in trouble like this. He's had a tough time, struggling with an ongoing problem with alcohol and losing his mum to cancer a couple of months ago. He's attended AA meetings, he knows he was stupid and he knows he has nobody to blame but himself, but he's scared (and me along with him) because he doesn't want this mistake to ruin his life now. He's got career ambitions and lots that he wants to achieve. I was wondering if anyone could be so kind as to suggest what the "worst case" maximum penalty they're likely to impose would be? The breathalyser reading came out at 73, and he didn't damage any property. It's his first offence as I said, although he has 3 points on his license already for running a light that had just turned red three years ago.

Also, is he under any legal obligation to tell his employer? He's not an essential car user so he can do his job without a car. My gut tells me he'd be better to keep quiet about it?

I know all cases are different but any indication of what he might be looking at would be appreciated. It's not likely to be prison is it? I don't think either of us could bear that.

Thank you.

 

[price1367]

Your son is likely to get a ban of between 17-23 months. He will also get a fine, based on his income and costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £20, or 10% of his fine.
He should be offered the chance to attend a Drink Drive Rehabilitation course which will reduce the length of the ban by up to 25%.

There is no chance that he will go to prison in the circumstances that you have described.

before court it would be good for him to get a couple of character references and to prepare what he wants to say to the magistrates by way of an apology.

As to his employer, there are some professions where a person must inform their employer, such as a doctor or teacher, but there are also a number of jobs where the persons contract says that they are obliged to inform the employer of any conviction.
If none of the above applies, then he does not have to inform his employer