DRUNK DRIVER CAUGHT BY POLICE FELT ‘OKAY TO DRIVE’ HOME AFTER SESSION WITH FRIENDS

A Newport man who felt ‘okay’ to drive home after drinking with his friends has been banned from the road for 14 months. Lee Taylor, 36, of Mayfield Drive in Newport, pleaded guilty to drink driving when he appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court earlier this week (25th June). Prosecutor Liz Miller told the court that on 9th June, at around 00:20, Police were parked on Firestone Copse Road near Kite Hill Caravan Park. After sitting there for a while they noticed a Ford Fiesta heading towards them. Officers approached the car and asked the driver if he was a local, to which he mumbled an inaudible reply. A strong smell of intoxicating liquor was noted, with Taylor then admitting that he had been drinking. A roadside breath test was conducted in which an above-level reading was recorded. Further tests conducted at Newport Police Station returned a reading of 49 – above the legal limit of 35. Defending, Michael McGoldrick said that his client was anxious by the court proceedings and that he had been drinking with some friends on the night in question and felt okay to drive home. He added that Taylor’s job was under review as a result of his appearance in court. Magistrates handed Taylor a 14-month driving ban. He was fined £85 and ordered to pay a £106 surcharge fee.