This forum has lots of good points to help
Summary
Hi there are things to do Pre court
A) decide if you feel you can put a plea of mitigation to the bench - I got a solicitor just a local one cost £300 ish, he made the case - totally out of character etc
B) write a letter of remorse to the bench noting you could have caused a fatality etc
C) get some character refs to indicate out of character, to state they don’t see you as a drinker, etc I had some excellent ones from work plus ex colleagues there are examples to show them if what to write but they need to really know you & hold positions of authority/ respect.
D) if not been to court before I went for a dummy run that helped I sat in the witness gallery
E) someone to take you
F) finances there is a form you fill in at court I did mine in advance thankfully as I was wrecked in the day - we can signpost you the link
G) ask for driving course as it knocks off time have to ask Pre leaving court
I) now the hard parts -When you renew your house insurance you are asked re criminal conviction sadly DR10 is a criminal conviction so seek advice re the forum - I knew LV wouldn’t cover then went through a broker & got a better quote. Travel to Canada is not possible for 10 yrs & USA is hard
Car & house insurance you only declare for 5 years
Re car you may want a letter ready your NCB as can be transferred up to 2 years
DBS it will show mine will be non spent, depends on job but be honest at my company we have just dismissed someone who had a professional investigation against them & they didn’t say when they started it got picked up during an audit of professional quals I’m sure if she had been honest at the start she would have been ok
Final hard parts sorry : press you are likely to be in the local paper it may just be a line or if press are bored you could get featured - I did including photo, job ( high profile) ( I had done a press release to them years ago & clearly it had triggered my name in search. Nothing had been said re my job as was in character refs yet it got picked up.
This was hard as before it was on a need to know basis but work knew from day one & we’re supportive
But = you find out who your real friends are, you cope re travel ( apart from covid and can’t have lifts atm & discouraged from using local transport) & you walk tall
Stay strong any questions get back in touch
Hope this helps it’s an awful time mine was 13 months ago but didn’t get to court until November it gets easier after court
Talk about it, write things down, & this forum is great for questions.
Ps your case could be delayed due to covid backlog