A drink driver was caught driving without lights at night the wrong way down a one-way street in Brighton.
When stopped, he told police that he’d “had a few shandies”. He was among the latest batch of drink drivers to have been convicted.
Sussex Police said: “A construction worker, a nurse, a marine diver, and a carpenter were among those who were convicted for drink-driving as part of Sussex Police’s winter crackdown.
“Last month officers carried out enforcement patrols and checks as part of a national campaign called Operation Limit.
“A total of 233 motorists were arrested, and in keeping with previous campaigns, those convicted and disqualified for their offences are being named to raise awareness and provide a deterrent to others from getting behind the wheel while intoxicated.
“Meanwhile, our public campaign Drink Driving: Together We Can Stop It, continues to highlight the need for everyone to prevent, persuade and report drink-drivers to the police.”
Roads Policing Unit Superintendent Rachel Glenton said: “Our officers are determined to catch offenders on our roads before they cause serious harm to themselves or other road users.
“We patrol the county’s roads 24/7, every day of the year, and these results show that while we can’t be everywhere, we could be anywhere.”
Aaron Botting was stopped while driving a Land Rover in Church Street, Brighton, at 11.35pm on Friday 2 December.
He had driven the wrong way down a one-way street, without turning on the headlights on his vehicle.
At the scene, he admitted to officers that he had consumed “a few shandies” and they could smell alcohol on his breath.
Botting, 35, a construction worker, of Ash Close, Eastbourne, tested positive in custody for 58 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres (ml) of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath.
At Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 22 December, he admitted driving while over the prescribed limit for alcohol, and was disqualified from driving for one year. He was also ordered to pay a £120 fine, £85 costs and a £48 surcharge.
Also on Friday 2 December, an off-duty police officer saw a Mini Cooper being driven erratically in Brighton, where the vehicle nearly hit the central reservation.
The driver, Conrad Eckersley, was stopped in Westfield Close, Brighton, and on-duty officers arrived.
Eckersley provided a positive roadside breath test for 59 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath. In custody, he failed to provide a sample of breath.
The 53-year-old nurse, of Woodbourne Avenue, Brighton, was charged with failing to provide a specimen of breath for analysis and at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 22 December he admitted the charge.
Eckersley was disqualified for one year and ordered to pay a £450 fine, £85 costs and a £180 surcharge.
Whatever happened to that ex-councillor who was caught drink driving and refused the breathalyser? They had to blood test him.
Last I remember, he was fighting it in court with Mr Loophole.
The standard of driving in Brighton is pretty shocking, I’m confident that I could go out there at any time of day and capture at least several incidents that would be reasonable to send to Operation Crackdown.
Benjamin
We could say that about any mode of transport to be honest.
Why pick on driving ?
Could also go out anytime and find an illegal e-scooter, moped rider, cyclist and other mode of transport user.
Unfortunately Ben, sometimes ‘road users’ make mistakes or errors, not all are bad.