Been arrested for drink driving. Scared

  • Thread starter Deleted member 11354
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Convicted Driver Insurance

Deleted member 11354

Yesterday I was arrested for drink driving. My breath test was 75. I have a court date next month. I have never been in trouble with the police I have never even received a parking ticket. I am so upset and disappointed with myself.
Am I suppose to tell my employer about this? I am now so worried that I am going to lose my job because I will have a criminal record.
How long a ban am I looking at?
:(
 
Been there mate, it's a gutting feeling but if you take this as an opportunity to learn then it's a mistake that you will never be making again. You should tell your employer as a matter of integrity, it will sound a lot better coming from your mouth than a co-workers or the courts section of the local newspaper. Most jobs will not fire you for getting a criminal conviction.

With a breath reading of 75 you will be looking at a 17-22 month ban along with a class C fine - low level community order. You'll more than likely get the fine with everything going on as it's difficult completing a community order in the middle of lockdown. Make sure when you are in court that you or your solicitor asks for the drink driving awareness course, this course costs around £140 but reduces your ban by 25%. You have to ask for it as the magistrate will not offer it.
 
Yesterday I was arrested for drink driving. My breath test was 75. I have a court date next month. I have never been in trouble with the police I have never even received a parking ticket. I am so upset and disappointed with myself.
Am I suppose to tell my employer about this? I am now so worried that I am going to lose my job because I will have a criminal record.
How long a ban am I looking at?
:(
Hi buddy,sorry to hear about your situation you will feel upset and disappointed but as long as you learn and don't make the same mistake again.if you plead guilty at court your looking at 17-22 months,remember to ask to do the drink driving course.dress smartly and show remorse to the court.dont tell anybody unless they need to know bu it depends on what your employer is like and what you do foe work.
 
I work in the public sector for a local authority, I’m just not sure how it will affect me having a criminal record? I feel so ashamed of myself.
I am a single mum with two kids, life will be really difficult without a car.
17-22 months seems like so long :( I just can’t stop crying and feeling like the worst person for doing this. The police officer releasing me said I’m lucky I didn’t hurt somewhere or I would be looking at 8-10 years for dangerous driving which made me feel absolutely awful and of course it is completely true.
I have spoken to a solicitor and they said I don’t need to be represented but they can provide a letter of mitigation? Has anyone else done this?
 
. Hi , I was exactly same as u , reading 75 , job working for local health authority (still) I totally understand how u feel . I was so scared BUT although u have done something so stupid and yes u could have hurt someone ( but u didn’t ) u will move on with your life . I got a 18month ban £600 fine . I did the DD course Which reduced the ban to 14month - ish . I should be back on the road this bank holiday Monday but been a hold up with license cos of covid19 .
 
Hi C8720,

Although it’s not the best place to have put yourself, it is good that you have found this forum - rest assured we have all been in the situation that you are in now and have been or are going through the process.

I can fully understand the range of emotions that you feel when you get pulled over and breathalysed and the aftermath when what has happened sinks in; then the utter dread kicks in about how you feel your life is going to fall apart.

You can either go with a solicitor if you feel like it would be beneficial to your case, only you will know that, or just do it on your own. Although this saves money and stress, it’s quite a thing to go into a court room and speak up about your case, however it all depends on the circumstances surrounding the offence - if it was just a simple stop with no aggravating factors, it’s unlikely you will have to speak much other than to confirm your name and date of birth and how you intend to plead. You can also have a chat to the duty solicitor on the day to see if they would be able to come in with you - this all depends on how many cases there are on the day and their severity.

I honestly can’t say how your employer will react to the situation - anything to do with driving or anything high profile is obviously fairly terminal, however just be up front and honest with them and don’t try and cover anything up as things always come out eventually.

Although it’s difficult to do, try and put it out of your mind for a bit before the court date as stewing on it will only make in ten times worse in you head and you will tear yourself up inside.

Luckily for you, your breath reading doesn’t put you into the HRO category so you’ve saved yourself some heartache when it comes to getting your license back further down the road.

Please do keep in touch and let us know how your court appearance goes, you’ll find that once you’ve got over that hurdle, things will seem a lot brighter.

MM
 
Good to see a solicitor being realistic instead of looking money, you do not need a solicitor. A letter of mitigation, professional character references, a good apology and being well dressed is all you need on the day. That and asking the magistrate for the DD awareness course to reduce your ban.

Even if your job is a public sector one I don't see you being fired. Many nurses, doctors, police officers, firemen, civil servants are caught DD every year, they would have to go Infront of a professional panel and their duties may slightly change due to not having a licence but you rarely see people being terminated for it. That is unless there is a clause in your employment contract that states that a criminal offence is gross misconduct but you mainly see that more in retail jobs than in a more professional setting.
 
Hi take one step at a time.get court out of the way first,there will be a duty solicitor on hand to help and write your own mitigation to keep you ban to a minimum.life will be hard without a car but you will cope its a case of having too.then you have to decide if your going to tell your employer,if you don't and they find out from other means it could spell trouble.if you do tell them,well you have then done all you can.ii really Cannot see them dismissing you,time is a great healer and it will get easier.
 
. Hi , I was exactly same as u , reading 75 , job working for local health authority (still) I totally understand how u feel . I was so scared BUT although u have done something so stupid and yes u could have hurt someone ( but u didn’t ) u will move on with your life . I got a 18month ban £600 fine . I did the DD course Which reduced the ban to 14month - ish . I should be back on the road this bank holiday Monday but been a hold up with license cos of covid19 .
Have you applied to the dvla for you licence.
 
. Hi , I was exactly same as u , reading 75 , job working for local health authority (still) I totally understand how u feel . I was so scared BUT although u have done something so stupid and yes u could have hurt someone ( but u didn’t ) u will move on with your life . I got a 18month ban £600 fine . I did the DD course Which reduced the ban to 14month - ish . I should be back on the road this bank holiday Monday but been a hold up with license cos of covid19 .
Thank you! I guess it’s all so raw at the moment. Can’t believe I spent the night it a police cell, the whole experience was just horrible. Did you tell your work?
 
Hi C8720,

Although it’s not the best place to have put yourself, it is good that you have found this forum - rest assured we have all been in the situation that you are in now and have been or are going through the process.

I can fully understand the range of emotions that you feel when you get pulled over and breathalysed and the aftermath when what has happened sinks in; then the utter dread kicks in about how you feel your life is going to fall apart.

You can either go with a solicitor if you feel like it would be beneficial to your case, only you will know that, or just do it on your own. Although this saves money and stress, it’s quite a thing to go into a court room and speak up about your case, however it all depends on the circumstances surrounding the offence - if it was just a simple stop with no aggravating factors, it’s unlikely you will have to speak much other than to confirm your name and date of birth and how you intend to plead. You can also have a chat to the duty solicitor on the day to see if they would be able to come in with you - this all depends on how many cases there are on the day and their severity.

I honestly can’t say how your employer will react to the situation - anything to do with driving or anything high profile is obviously fairly terminal, however just be up front and honest with them and don’t try and cover anything up as things always come out eventually.

Although it’s difficult to do, try and put it out of your mind for a bit before the court date as stewing on it will only make in ten times worse in you head and you will tear yourself up inside.

Luckily for you, your breath reading doesn’t put you into the HRO category so you’ve saved yourself some heartache when it comes to getting your license back further down the road.

Please do keep in touch and let us know how your court appearance goes, you’ll find that once you’ve got over that hurdle, things will seem a lot brighter.

MM
Thank you so much :)
 
Thank you! I guess it’s all so raw at the moment. Can’t believe I spent the night it a police cell, the whole experience was just horrible. Did you tell your work?
Hi it will be raw for a few months.the police told my work and I was dismissed I got caught drug driving dg10.
 
Thank you! I guess it’s all so raw at the moment. Can’t believe I spent the night it a police cell, the whole experience was just horrible. Did you tell your work?
Thank you! I guess it’s all so raw at the moment. Can’t believe I spent the night it a police cell, the whole experience was just horrible. Did you tell your work?
Yes I told work more or less straight away , they were ok to be fair although what I did was bad driving wasn’t anything to do with my job they were concerned if I had any drinking issues etc ( which I haven’t) work colleagues who were friends gave me letters for court to give the magistrates. I had a Solisitor but really I didn’t need one I think it was because it was the unknown. When I think back about being in a prison cell for The night ( like u ) it still doesn’t seem real !! It will seem extremely hard at min but u will be ok.
 
Hi it will be raw for a few months.the police told my work and I was dismissed I got caught drug driving dg10.

Oh wow really. I don’t even know if the police know where I work :( feel so scared
 
C8720 non have to be scared I now this situation me I was the same I have the court next month that's what happened and go ahead everything will be alright it's not the end of the world head up and hope to give you less stay well
 
Yes I told work more or less straight away , they were ok to be fair although what I did was bad driving wasn’t anything to do with my job they were concerned if I had any drinking issues etc ( which I haven’t) work colleagues who were friends gave me letters for court to give the magistrates. I had a Solisitor but really I didn’t need one I think it was because it was the unknown. When I think back about being in a prison cell for The night ( like u ) it still doesn’t seem real !! It will seem extremely hard at min but u will be ok.
Driving has nothing to do with my work either but I’m just not sure where I stand with a criminal conviction. I don’t know who to get letters from can it be anyone or does it have to be professionals?
 
Oh wow really. I don’t even know if the police know where I work :( feel so scared
I was driving a taxi at the time and the police informed the council.dont be scared you've not hurt anybody or crashed and am sure you won't lose your job.when is your court date
 
Driving has nothing to do with my work either but I’m just not sure where I stand with a criminal conviction. I don’t know who to get letters from can it be anyone or does it have to be professionals?
No doesn’t have to be professionals .
 
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