A drink-driver crashed just minutes after being warned by police not to drive after they found him drunk at a woman’s house as they checked she was okay.
Darrell Jacob, 41, said he had been drinking brandy and taking diazepam after his black Audi A3 crashed into seafront railings near the Roedean Cafe on Tuesday lunchtime.
Less than an hour before, officers carrying out a welfare check on a woman at a house in nearby Rugby Place had encountered him acting drunk, and warned him not to drive his car which was parked outside.
After the crash, Jacob, unemployed, of South Coast Road, Peacehaven, told police he had been drinking brandy and had consumed diazepam, and was taken to hospital as a precaution, where he refused to provide a sample of blood.
He was subsequently arrested and charged with failing to provide a sample of blood when suspected of having driven a vehicle.
Jacob was further charged with two counts of possession of a bladed article in a public place, after two kitchen knives were discovered in his car.
Jacob was remanded in custody to appear at Brighton Magistrates’ Court the following day (Wednesday 27 June), where he was convicted of all three offences.
He was sentenced to eight weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and disqualified from driving for 30 months. He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £115 victim surcharge.
His car has now been placed on the police hot list – meaning officers would be alerted if it activated an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera – and it was found crashed a short time later.
A total of 67 people have been arrested in Sussex so far as part of Surrey and Sussex Police’s summer crackdown on drink and drug-drivers.
The campaign started on 14 June and ends on 15 July. However, officers will continue to respond to reports of drink and drug-drivers as part of day-to-day business all year round.
If you’re prepared to drive under the influence of drink or drugs, prepare to face the consequences. These could include the following:
- A minimum 12 month ban
- An unlimited fine
- A possible prison sentence
- A criminal record, which could affect your current and future employment
- An increase in your car insurance
- Trouble travelling to countries such as the USA.
People in Sussex can text officers on 65999 with the details of people they suspect of drink or drug-driving, or visit the Operation Crackdown website.
You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or report it online.
If you know someone is driving while over the limit or after taking drugs, call 999.
