A Portsmouth man who thought he was ‘okay to drive’ after a few hours’ sleep has been banned from the roads for drink driving.
Steve Hope, 40, of Whitecross Gardens in Hillsea, admitted a single charge of drink driving when he appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court last Tuesday (4th August).
Prosecuting, Cristiane Finlay, told the court that on the 27th June, at around 03:15, Hope was seen driving his Volvo XC60 on Newport Road in Ventnor when he veered across the white lines in the centre of the road.
Having activated their lights, officers pulled the vehicle over and a roadside breath test was conducted. Further tests conducted at Newport Police Station revealed an alcohol level of 40 – just over the legal limit.
Defending himself, Mr Hope said that he had been attending a colleagues leaving do here on the Island and that after a few hours of sleep back at the hotel he decided to get some food feeling ‘okay to drive’.
Hope was banned from driving for 12-months and fined £1,104. He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £442 surcharge fee.
Handing down their sentence, Magistrates told Hope:
“That’s a rather expensive night’s drinking by anyone’s standards”.
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