DRINK DRIVING SENTENCES

Convicted Driver Insurance
You had a good result. This seems to be a continuing theme that I have noticed recently where people are in a parked car where it is clear that they must have driven there but the police do not charge drink driving, or even interview to establish the driving then charge drink driving.
this leaves it open for the person to get 10 points or a ban of below the minimum of 12 months.
You are right that the charge could have been amended at court, but CPS must have been satisfied that it was the correct charge. Just shows what a lottery it can be at court.
if you had been charged with drink driving you would have had a 17-23 month ban, so 6 months is an exceptional result.
i have seen similar reports in the press and wondered if there was any funny handshakes going on........ You don't have to say if you are!
Hopefully a lesson learnt without too much pain in return.
i am gathering anecdotal evidence on the inconsistency of how drink driving is dealt with. Could you let me know which town / city this was in, either on here or as a PM? (No name needed)
 
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You had a good result. This seems to be a continuing theme that I have noticed recently where people are in a parked car where it is clear that they must have driven there but the police do not charge drink driving, or even interview to establish the driving then charge drink driving.
this leaves it open for the person to get 10 points or a ban of below the minimum of 12 months.
You are right that the charge could have been amended at court, but CPS must have been satisfied that it was the correct charge. Just shows what a lottery it can be at court.
if you had been charged with drink driving you would have had a 17-23 month ban, so 6 months is an exceptional result.
i have seen similar reports in the press and wondered if there was any funny handshakes going on........ You don't have to say if you are!
Hopefully a lesson learnt without too much pain in return.
i am gathering anecdotal evidence on the inconsistency of how drink driving is dealt with. Could you let me know which town / city this was in, either on here or as a PM? (No name needed)

They didn't charge me with drink driving because no one actually saw me driving. I was stopped by police initially because my car was parked on a zebra crossing.
 
That is where you were lucky. You say you admitted ou had dropped a friend off and were then driving home. Your own admission about driving can be enough to charge you with Drink driving.
 
Brief Description of Offence:
Had a couple of pints in the afternoon with my wife at a cafeteria/restaurant in a National Trust park and another couple in the evening along the road to our dinner destination. Our dinner at another pub was booked quite late, and that's why we had an unusual extra stop on our way. We've then had dinner with a couple of glasses of wine each in a pub about 10 mins from home. I was quite confident as I was feeling OK and we were close to home. It was Saturday night and a police car was waiting on the roadside just outside the pub car park. I was driving cautiously but as soon as I drove past the police car I could see the car reversing and following me very closely. That led me to drive quite slowly and after my first turn the police car switched on the lightbar so I stopped and got out of the car.

Blood Alcohol Level and Reading Type:
The roadside test was just a pass/fail one and I failed. At the police station, quite close to where I was arrested, the readings were 47 and 48, with the lower taken as the final one.

Mitigating Factors:
Careful driving. No previous convictions and clean licence. Good reference from my wife. Pleaded guilty since the very beginning and cooperated with the police. Well received plea of mitigation.

Aggravating Factors:
None. From what I've read here it appears that the police often mention some excuse to carry out a breath test, and in my case the constable initially mentioned that I was driving very slowly. Then the CPS report stated that they could "smell alcohol" but probably it's just because "driving slowly" sounded too innocent. Given the amount I drunk and the full dinner I had, I can hardly believe that anyone could smell alcohol. I guess that the police were just waiting, and rightly so, to breathalyse the next driver who would have left the pub car park.

Legal Representation at Court?:
The duty solicitor. Initially I meant to consult with her and get feedback about my plea, but I was assuming I would have read my plea to the court. In the end the duty solicitor did all the talking using a summary of what we discussed before the hearing, while my written plea was handed to the judges who seemed to appreciate it.

Sentence:
12 months ban that will be reduced to 9 if I'll complete the rehabilitation course. £400 fine + £85 costs + £40 victims surcharge = £525, payable in two installments (the number of installments was pretty much up to me but I wanted to get over with the payment fairly quickly).

Offered the Drink Driving Rehabilitation Course?:
Yes, even before the hearing to some extent. The duty solicitor asked me where I would have liked to attend the course before the hearing, and also in the court room there was plenty of leaflets about rehab courses. Probably it's a court generally favourable to such courses. I was able to pick a course which is halfway along my route to get back home from the office, so about 7 mins walking from home and/or from the office. I will certainly attend it.

Sentence Comments:
I don't think I could expect anything better than what I got. The judges mentioned that a strict interpretation of the guidelines for my reading would have led to a 14 months disqualification but they wanted to stick to the minimum 12 in my case, offering also the option of the course for a further reduction. I was expecting a tougher fine but probably they took into account the fact that my wife doesn't work and, also, they mentioned that while they can't reduce the ban below the minimum, they can apply extra leniency to the fine. They seemed to be surprised by all the collateral damage (especially about the 5 years to wait before entering Canada) caused by a DD conviction and probably they took into account that for me such damage was worse than the ban and fine alone. I completely deserved this lesson and I'm looking forward to the rehabilitation course to go way beyond my self indulgence when it came to drinking before driving. Feeling OK in my case was not enough to respect the law and from now on I'll just stick to a zero-alcohol rule before driving. Still, I'm looking forward to the course in order to know when to drive the day after a few more drinks than usual, or how much I can drink before a morning when I'll have to drive. I'm only a bit annoyed by the excuses to carry out a breath test. It's perfectly fine to breathalyse people for the sake of it, I'm not sure why there should always be some additional excuse, often quite petty, to justify a perfectly reasonable check.
Additional details at http://www.forum.drinkdriving.org/have-you-been-caught-convicted-drink-driving/79800.htm.
 
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I'm only a bit annoyed by the excuses to carry out a breath test. It's perfectly fine to breathalyse people for the sake of it, I'm not sure why there should always be some additional excuse, often quite petty, to justify a perfectly reasonable check.
After writing this I have reviewed the relevant documentation and indeed both on this website (http://www.drinkdriving.org/police_breath_alcohol_test_preliminary.php) both at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/6 it is mentioned that a roadside test can only be carried out if the constable "reasonably suspects" that someone is driving after drinking too much, unless an accident occurs in which case a test is allowed regardless of any reasonable suspicion. In other websites I've read of debates around giving more power to the police to carry out purely random tests.

I didn't know this detail, also because I've been living in the UK for only less than 2 years now, and it's probably related to the British tradition wrt respecting individual freedom. However, while the wording is nice, I bet no one would argue with a constable regarding whether his/her suspicion is reasonable or not as that would most likely result in being prosecuted for refusing to provide a specimen.

I believe that sheer random tests would be more helpful also to reduce the amount of people that believe they might never be caught by behaving in ways that wouldn't lead to any reasonable suspicion. Moreover, the constables would not need to write down questionable statements regarding the circumstances leading to a test.

In my case I think that the suspicion first occurred when I left the pub car park, as that's when the police car started following me, but then I was asked why I was driving slowly and then in the prosecution documents there was written that the constable could smell alcohol which, I believe, is quite unlikely (and I wasn't told this anyway while I was being questioned after getting stopped).

I'm glad I've learned this lesson in relatively favourable circumstances as I was close to home and no accident happened, but the reference to alcohol smell added a further, and I believe unfair, source of shame which should be entirely unnecessary if the laws did not include all the wording about reasonable suspicions.

Best regards,
Z
 
After writing this I have reviewed the relevant documentation and indeed both on this website (http://www.drinkdriving.org/police_breath_alcohol_test_preliminary.php) both at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/6 it is mentioned that a roadside test can only be carried out if the constable "reasonably suspects" that someone is driving after drinking too much, unless an accident occurs in which case a test is allowed regardless of any reasonable suspicion. In other websites I've read of debates around giving more power to the police to carry out purely random tests.

I didn't know this detail, also because I've been living in the UK for only less than 2 years now, and it's probably related to the British tradition wrt respecting individual freedom. However, while the wording is nice, I bet no one would argue with a constable regarding whether his/her suspicion is reasonable or not as that would most likely result in being prosecuted for refusing to provide a specimen.

I believe that sheer random tests would be more helpful also to reduce the amount of people that believe they might never be caught by behaving in ways that wouldn't lead to any reasonable suspicion. Moreover, the constables would not need to write down questionable statements regarding the circumstances leading to a test.

In my case I think that the suspicion first occurred when I left the pub car park, as that's when the police car started following me, but then I was asked why I was driving slowly and then in the prosecution documents there was written that the constable could smell alcohol which, I believe, is quite unlikely (and I wasn't told this anyway while I was being questioned after getting stopped).

I'm glad I've learned this lesson in relatively favourable circumstances as I was close to home and no accident happened, but the reference to alcohol smell added a further, and I believe unfair, source of shame which should be entirely unnecessary if the laws did not include all the wording about reasonable suspicions.

Best regards,
Z



If the police have to "reasonably suspect" then how do they justify random early AM roadside breath tests where they pull anyone over and demand a sample?

How does this apply? I would love to know; because it strikes me that the police can request a breath test whenever they like, without any reasonable suspicion. Unless of course they actually believe that people are going to be over the limit on a Wednesday morning at 7am.

M
 
[Brief Description of Offence:
Had been out with a friend and when I came home she called to ask if I would like to join her at hers for a drink. Stupidly got in car and drove. Crashed into a telegraph pole and wrote my car off.

Blood Alcohol Level and Reading Type:
Blew 92

Mitigating Factors:
.
No previous convictions and held a clean licence. Good references and complied at all times.
Aggravating Factors:
Crashed car. High reading.

Legal Representation at Court?:
Consulted with the duty solicitor on the morning but he di not attend court so I represented myself.

Sentence:
24 month bad - reduced to 18 with course. £180 fine plus court costs.

Offered the Drink Driving Rehabilitation Course?:
Yes, even before the hearing to some extent. The duty solicitor asked me where I would have liked to attend the course before the hearing, and also in the court room there was plenty of leaflets about rehab courses. Probably it's a court generally favourable to such courses. I was able to pick a course which is halfway along my route to get back home from the office, so about 7 mins walking from home and/or from the office. I will certainly attend it.

Sentence Comments:
I could have done worse I think. The magistrates mentioned they gave me a lower fine and no community order.
 
Brief Description of Offence:
Out on a saturday night in my local town, wasn't heavily on the drink but had had a few pints and vodka mixers over the course of the night. Was with my mate and for some reason we get in his car and drive off. He had drunk a lot more than me so i drove. I got stopped within a minute. (moral; just get a flaming taxi!)

Blood Alcohol Level and Reading Type:
69 roadside, 66 station (breath)

Mitigating Factors:
Usual; clean driving record for 5 years, no previous drink driving / criminal convictions, full co-operation with the police, short distance driven etc. No reason for being pulled over.

Aggravating Factors:
Wasn't my car; thought i was insured third party to drive other vehicles but turns out i wasn't.

Legal Representation at Court?:
With duty solicitor yes. She was excellent! Wouldn't even bother getting a solicitor unless you're pleading not guilty for a specific reason.

Sentence:
Length of disqualification - 17 months reduced by 17 weeks upon course completion, so just over a year.
Fine and costs amount - £120 fine, £85 costs & £20 victim surcharge. £225 all in.
DR10 & IN10 endorsements to be put on my license. (2 worst possible ones... brilliant)

Offered the Drink Driving Rehabilitation Course?:
Yes & will be taking it - 17 weeks off ban - no brainer

Sentence Comments:
With a fair amount of mitigating factors, the magistrates could see it was just a big stupid mistake, not going to happen again, so they did give me the minimum sentence for what i blew. Solicitor plea'd that i get the minimum 12 month ban but they obviously didn't want to go lower than the guidelines for my reading which is fair enough i suppose. Bit annoying as i have seen recently someone getting just a 12 month ban for the exact same reading as me but hey. However getting the endorsement on my license for having no insurance too is going to make my car insurance prices ridiculous for a few years now. Being a full time student made my fine the lowest it could be. I am a massive petrolhead and cars are my life so its a huge blow to be banned. lesson well and truly learnt.
 
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Brief Description of Offence:
Had a couple of drinks as much as I can recall anyway, but from my breath must have had more than I thought. Drove home and got pulled by an off duty who called for assistance.

Blood Alcohol Level Breath 94ug

Mitigating Factors:
long clean driving record, no previous drink driving / criminal convictions, co-operation with the police, relied on by family as partner works away.

Aggravating Factors: none, but cps did note a scent conviction for a very minor failure to stop and report.

Legal Representation at Court?:
Yes

Sentence:
24 month ban. Driving course which will reduce to 18 months. Total fine of 640. No community service - pleaded for a higher fine.

Offered the Drink Driving Rehabilitation Course?:
Yes got it booked already

Sentence Comments:
Any comments on the sentence given? What I expected really, was advised by solicitor that rarely go outside of guidelines and that we should pin hopes on getting rid of the community service aspect.

Absolute shame and disgust at myself. Relief that it wasn't worse I. E no accident etc
 
Brief Description of Offence:


Drinking wine at home alone, foolishly and recklessly decided to drive for a takeaway after consuming large amount of wine.

Blood Alcohol Level and Reading Type:


Failed roadside test. Blew 96mcg at police station.

Mitigating Factors:


1 minor previous fine 2003, no other previous.
Clean driving licence.
Responsible job.
Handed in letter of apology at first hearing. 20[SUP]th[/SUP] Oct.
Cooperated fully with police
Plead guilty at first opportunity.


Aggravating Factors:


On patrol police car saw my car swerving and pulled me over. Smelt alcohol on breath failed roadside test.

Legal Representation at Court?:


Duty solicitor. I think the sheriff would have asked for duty representation anyway as she rarely spoke directly to the accused.


Sentence:


24 month driving ban
1 year community pay back order (this is not community service)
Have to meet with social work often, like a supervision order.


Offered the Drink Driving Rehabilitation Course?:


Unfortunately I wasn’t, and I really wanted to be, as I would have taken it at the earliest opportunity.
I did ask for it in my original letter of apology; however there was no mention of it when the sheriff sentenced me. She just said that it was 24 reduced from 36 for the early plea.
I was gutted that it wasn’t mentioned, but was afraid to butt in and ask for it as she seemed quite angry, I should probs have asked the solicitor but It all goes past so quickly.
Being able to reduce to 18 months would have given me something to aim for.

Sentence Comments:


24 month ban and one year’s supervision (regular social work contact) is perhaps a bit harsh, well harsher than what I had in my mind pre court.
I was hoping to be referred onto DD course, but It wasn’t mentioned. Kind of annoyed with myself at not bringing it up as they maybe just weren’t aware of it.
But alas it is what it is, and you have to respect the decision as I did wrong.
 
Brief Description of Offence:
Caught driving home outside my house.

Blood Alcohol Level and Reading Type:
64 roadside, 70 station (breath)

Mitigating Factors:
Clean driving record for 20 years, no previous drink driving full co-operation with the police, short distance driven.
Clinically depressed due to work pressure.

Aggravating Factors:
3 previous non driving related convictions.

Legal Representation at Court?:
Yes - I hired a solicitor, gave a very good mitigation speech.

Sentence:
Length of disqualification - 17 months reduced by 17 weeks upon course completion.
Fine and costs amount - £750 fine, £85 costs & £75 victim surcharge.
DR10 endorsements to be put on my license.

Offered the Drink Driving Rehabilitation Course?:
Yes

Sentence Comments:
All in all the best result possible considering the circumstances.

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Brief Description of Offence:
So mine was a strange one. I was working, I am a carer in the community on boxing day night. I had not been drinking as I had been on call over Christmas, and I'm not a drinker anyway. I went to one of my favourite ladies houses. She had been alone all Xmas, and asked me to join her for a baileys. In a moment of madness, I had one. Not a tiny one, but certainly didn't feel at all drunk, and I would not have driven had I thought I was anywhere near over the limit!! Anyway, finished my rounds, and was on my way to pick up the OH from his brothers, down some windy country lanes. Now, as daft as this sounds, but anyone who knows me knows that this is the sort of stupid **** I do... saw a rabbit in the road, swerved to the left, hit a bank and rolled my car onto its roof. I got out (no one around) and flagged down the next passers-by. I rang the police myself. Did a breathalyser and breather 75!!!!! Cooperated 100% , took breathalyser at station (I was so sure there must have been a mistake, I hadn't eaten since the day before, but can't understand how in God's name the reading could be so high)blew 67!!!!! Spent a night in the cells. Devastated doesn't even begin to cut it. It sounds like an absolute pack of lies, but I can't lie to save my life, and cannot understand how the readings were so high.

Blood Alcohol Level and Reading Type:
67 mg breath

Mitigating Factors:
Clean licence, no previous convictions ever, called police myself, excellent character references from boss.

Aggravating Factors:
Rolled car? Not sure if this is aggravating, but I assume so.

Legal Representation at Court?:
No

Sentence:
18 month ban, £250 fine, £135 court costs, £35 victim surcharge (not sure how this works as only victim of me was myself and my poor car+! (Write off).

Offered the Drink Driving Rehabilitation Course?:
Yes- will definitely be taking it!! Reduces ban to 13 months.

Sentence Comments:
I'm not going to lie... the magistrates were pretty shocking! 3 women, which is already a bad start (I'm a woman so I can say that )... I cried, handed them copies of my mitigation as I couldn't speak... they were actually LAUGHING while deciding on my sentence!!!!! I do feel that my sentence was harsh, although I had prepared myself for worse. I also feel my fine was quite high, having looked at what other people were fined. But after weeks of torture, it's over from.today. So now to forget about it and move on. I've kept my job, and everyone that matters knows me better than that. Onwards and upwards x
 
Brief Description of Offence:
Went to the local with a few friends and this girl I was interested in we decided to stay out but went elsewhere in girls car (she drove me and a couple of her friends) to outside club when it came time to leave she gets in her car to drive I get in with her she's incapable of driving so I tell her to move to the passenger side and then blue lights


Blood Alcohol Level and Reading Type:
Breath 70

Mitigating Factors:
Clean driving record, no previous drink driving convictions, co-operation with the police, short distance driven, driving due to an emergency

Aggravating Factors:
I wasn't insured to drive this girls car

Legal Representation at Court?:
Yes


Sentence:
18 month ban and £375 fine but with dd rehab course it gets it down to about 13.5 months.

Offered the Drink Driving Rehabilitation Course?:
Yes (my last one this week)

Sentence Comments:
Could've been worse they let me off no insurance saying "due to my ill placed gallantry we won't give you any points for having no insurance" I was expecting the fine to be more as well. The ban is obviously annoying but can't change anything now just gotta live with it
 
Brief Description of Offence:
Had a very heavy night and continued day drinking the next day.Member of the public called the police due to the erratic driving such as swerving towards oncoming traffic and mounted the pavement.

Blood Alcohol Level and Reading Type:
The lowest I blew was 130ug at the station

Mitigating Factors:
First offence. Suffered with depression. Very good job. Youngish age of 25. (None of these counted for very much)

Aggravating Factors:
Driving style. Time of Day. Near a school. Very high reading.

Legal Representation at Court?:
Yes

Sentence:
10 weeks imprisonment suspended for a year. 120 hours community service. 6 alcohol rehab sessions and £200 fine. 30 months ban reduced by 8 months.

Offered the Drink Driving Rehabilitation Course?:
Yes

Sentence Comments:
Had the book thrown at me and deservedly so. Thought my ban would be longer and I'd get a higher community service, without the suspended sentence.
 
Brief Description of Offence:
Met a girl online. Agreed to go to hers and have drinks. Both got drunk, argument started and I was kicked out and police were called.
Warned me not to drive, about an hour later I drove for about a minute before hidden officers from earlier that night pulled me over.


Blood Alcohol Level and Reading Type:
Breath 73

Mitigating Factors:
Clean driving record, no previous drink driving convictions, co-operation with the police, short distance driven, remorse.

Aggravating Factors:
None

Legal Representation at Court?:
Duty solicitor


Sentence:
16 month ban, DD course offered, £230 fine

Offered the Drink Driving Rehabilitation Course?:
Yes

Sentence Comments:
A good result. I wrote a very well thought out apology letter and character reference from parents. The whole scenario was also taken into consideration (late at night, unfamiliar area, too cold to sleep in car etc)


 
Brief Description of Offence:
Drinking at a bar for birthday, left upon closing and husband wanted to drive but couldn't put my car in reverse. I put car in reverse but drove on as well, crashing into a car on the road just outside the car park and almost colliding with a police car. Minimal damage to the other car.

Blood Alcohol Level and Reading Type:
Breath. 76.

Mitigating Factors:
No previous convictions, clean licence, good character, cooperated fully with police.

Aggravating Factors:
Caused an accident.

Legal Representation at Court?:
Yes

Sentence:
12 month ban, reduced to 9 if DD course completed. £250 fine for DD offence. £250 fine for careless driving.

Offered the Drink Driving Rehabilitation Course?:
Yes.

Sentence Comments:
Overall, happy with the outcome of the ban as I received the minimum. Bit annoyed that they added the careless driving charge on the day which was unknown to me until 2 minutes before going on the dock.
 
Brief Description of Offence:
Went to a friend's house party with the intention of spending the night there. After going for a few drinks in town our friend met a girl who he decided to spend the night with. Meaning when we got back to his house we had no way of getting in. So I slept in my car whilst my passengers tried to get someone to let us into the house. After two hours we were freezing and as I felt fine we decided to set off home. Home being 1h 45m away from where we were. It was now around 4am and I had personally stopped drinking at around 11pm.

Blood Alcohol Level and Reading Type:
Breath reading 57

Mitigating Factors:
Perfectly clean licence, never been in trouble with the police before, held my hands up at the time I was pulled over and owned up to what had happened, police officer even said I wasn't drunk but was still over the limit. However I did lose my job after losing my licence.

Aggravating Factors:
No accident was caused, no near collisions, no previous conviction. Cooperated fully. However distance driven (over half way home) and having passengers.

Legal Representation at Court?:
Yes - duty solicitor

Sentence:
14 month ban, £290 fine, £130 court fees, £35 victim surcharge. (Even though there were no victims) £150 course.

Offered the Drink Driving Rehabilitation Course?:
Yes and of course - my ban will be reduced by 14 weeks.

Sentence Comments:
Pretty much what I expected. I'd have preferred a 12 month ban but I've got to deal with my mistakes now.
 
Brief Description of Offence:
Drank gin during the day. Drove with my child and crashed into 3 parked vehicles.

Blood Alcohol Level and Reading Type:
Three times over the limit

Mitigating Factors:
No-one was hurt. My child was securely strapped in. Cooperated with the police. Sunny day. Showed remorse.

Aggravating Factors:
Crashed and had a child under 5

Legal Representation at Court?:
Yes due to the fact I had a child with me

Sentence:
24 months, no fine, 85.00 costs, community order.

Offered the Drink Driving Rehabilitation Course?:
Yes. Completed already.

Sentence Comments:
I had requested a number of character references in preparation which the court appreciated and sought an addiction counsellor prior to the court date. Got to court early. Felt very fortunate. Will hopefully get my licence back in 18 months. Social services had to be involved as well but luckily closed my case without advising school. Just waiting for the blood text now. Fingers crossed.
 
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Brief Description of Offence:
Was at the Rewind Music Festival in Scone and drinking till 10pm on the last night, probably had about 12 tins of Strongbow in the course of the day and went to sleep approx 10.30pm. Got up on the Monday morning at 9am and attempted to drive at 9.30. Stopped by a static roadside check at the exit of the campsite where the cop smelled alcohol on my breath, breathalyzed me, and arrested me with a reading of 38mg. Was in the cells till 3.30 in the afternoon.


Blood Alcohol Level and Reading Type:
38mg at the roadside and 49mg twice at the station (yes, it went up!! At first they didn't believe I hadn't been drinking in the morning, but they came round and didn't put it in the charge sheet)


Mitigating Factors:
Genuine remorse, no previous criminal convictions, cooperation with police, an early guilty plea, a clean driving licence, need my car for picking up children as live out of town. Need car for work.


Aggravating Factors:
None, was on my own in the car, not near a public place, on a small country road, no erratic driving or accident


Legal Representation at Court?:
At first I was going to represent myself, but my bottle went at the court and the duty solicitor spoke for me (I'm glad he did by the way, I really thought I knew what I was doing, but realised quickly I didn't have clue!!)


Sentence:
16 months and £900 fine reduced to 12 months and £600 because of my 'unblemished record and early plea'


Offered the Drink Driving Rehabilitation Course?:
Yes, its reducing my ban to 9 months


Sentence Comments:
I feel my fine was a little harsh due to it being morning-after, first offence and no aggravating factors. Feel lucky to be getting my license back in 9 months though.
What I would like to say is, anyone who has a trial looming and is thinking about representing themselves, don't believe half the crap you read on the internet, you MUST ask for the rehab course when you speak, you wont automatically get offered it, and you won't get 'questioned' as such, you must put your mitigation forward in the one and only chance you get to speak. If I hadn't luckily got the duty solicitor, I would have had the max sentence i.e. 16 months and £900 fine.
 
Your reading did not necessarily go up, the roadside one is only an indication and is often not that accurate.
 
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