Drink driving - recommendation for friend
Discussion
Friend just whatsapp'd me this morning to say he'd been done Saturday night for drink driving. Apparently was '57'. First offence, he's a sales guy for work so this will potentially destroy his career.
What options does he have ? I've told him to get the best solicitor he can as is a first offence, a genuinely great guy and don't want to see his life turned upside down.
I get he's been a d!ck driving (albeit it only 300 metres from the cricket club to his house), but hate to see it.
What options does he have ? I've told him to get the best solicitor he can as is a first offence, a genuinely great guy and don't want to see his life turned upside down.
I get he's been a d!ck driving (albeit it only 300 metres from the cricket club to his house), but hate to see it.
Just speaking to him a little more (as I'm currently on a train down to London), seemingley he was not even in the car when the police knocked.
He had driven home from the cricket club, gone in the house and then the police knocked on the front door and asked him for a breatherliser (sic) test which he agreed to and blew over. Seems odd to me ???
He had driven home from the cricket club, gone in the house and then the police knocked on the front door and asked him for a breatherliser (sic) test which he agreed to and blew over. Seems odd to me ???
Expect an 18 month ban (reduced to 12 if he completes a specified course) as well as a decent fine depending on his in come.
Nothing wrong with knocking and getting a specimen dependent on circumstances.
No sympathy sorry, 300 metres? Walk it. It's probably not the first time he's done it, just the first time he's been caught.
Drink and drug driving really is inexcusable these days.
Nothing wrong with knocking and getting a specimen dependent on circumstances.
No sympathy sorry, 300 metres? Walk it. It's probably not the first time he's done it, just the first time he's been caught.
Drink and drug driving really is inexcusable these days.
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 24th May 07:13
Regarding his job, I would think he ought to come up with a plan on how he’s going to manage without his car. Probably mostly online, perhaps some customers are on train lines or bus routes etc.
Then he can say to his boss “I was just over the limit on a silly 300m drive I shouldn’t have made; I'm a nob and I’m sorry. However I can still do my job by using the plan I have thought up. I will be costing the company less by not driving too”.
Hopefully that will give him a good chance at keeping his job. I bought some software for work the other day, and the three sales calls I had were all via teams.
Then you should give him some stick for driving; he could so easily have walked! Also give him some stick for not walking 300m in general just for good measure.
Then he can say to his boss “I was just over the limit on a silly 300m drive I shouldn’t have made; I'm a nob and I’m sorry. However I can still do my job by using the plan I have thought up. I will be costing the company less by not driving too”.
Hopefully that will give him a good chance at keeping his job. I bought some software for work the other day, and the three sales calls I had were all via teams.
Then you should give him some stick for driving; he could so easily have walked! Also give him some stick for not walking 300m in general just for good measure.
If he accepts that he is guilty a solicitor isn't going to achieve much for him. A ban of at least 12 months is mandatory and with a reading of 57 it isn't going to be more than 16 months (57 is at the top end of the lowest sentencing band so 16 months is the likely starting point for him). If he takes the awareness course the ban is reduced by 25%.
The best that a solicitor might get for him is to restrict the ban to 12 months - but if he represents himself and is apologetic and contrite he can do this himself. He would be better to save the money for bus and taxi fares.
The best that a solicitor might get for him is to restrict the ban to 12 months - but if he represents himself and is apologetic and contrite he can do this himself. He would be better to save the money for bus and taxi fares.
He's losing his licence here and to be honest it's a good thing.
Drink Driving isn't viewed by the courts in the same way as a speeding offence, mitigation due to hardship etc, he's looking at a 12 month ban and an absolute hammering on insurance for the foreseeable future with a specialist insurer who will actually cover a Drink Drive conviction.
It may sound harsh but a good friend of mine lost his sister to a Drink driver who claimed he has never done it before etc.
Paying a solicitor will just get him a grand or so legal bill on top of everything else which may be useful for taxis for 12 months.
Best advice I can give is tell your friend not to drive to court because as soon as he is convicted the driving ban is enforced and driving home from court will be a further offence.
Drink Driving isn't viewed by the courts in the same way as a speeding offence, mitigation due to hardship etc, he's looking at a 12 month ban and an absolute hammering on insurance for the foreseeable future with a specialist insurer who will actually cover a Drink Drive conviction.
It may sound harsh but a good friend of mine lost his sister to a Drink driver who claimed he has never done it before etc.
Paying a solicitor will just get him a grand or so legal bill on top of everything else which may be useful for taxis for 12 months.
Best advice I can give is tell your friend not to drive to court because as soon as he is convicted the driving ban is enforced and driving home from court will be a further offence.
Jamescrs said:
He's losing his licence here and to be honest it's a good thing.
Drink Driving isn't viewed by the courts in the same way as a speeding offence, mitigation due to hardship etc, he's looking at a 12 month ban and an absolute hammering on insurance for the foreseeable future with a specialist insurer who will actually cover a Drink Drive conviction.
It may sound harsh but a good friend of mine lost his sister to a Drink driver who claimed he has never done it before etc.
Paying a solicitor will just get him a grand or so legal bill on top of everything else which may be useful for taxis for 12 months.
Best advice I can give is tell your friend not to drive to court because as soon as he is convicted the driving ban is enforced and driving home from court will be a further offence.
DD points stay on the licnece for 11 years, valid for 10 of those years Drink Driving isn't viewed by the courts in the same way as a speeding offence, mitigation due to hardship etc, he's looking at a 12 month ban and an absolute hammering on insurance for the foreseeable future with a specialist insurer who will actually cover a Drink Drive conviction.
It may sound harsh but a good friend of mine lost his sister to a Drink driver who claimed he has never done it before etc.
Paying a solicitor will just get him a grand or so legal bill on top of everything else which may be useful for taxis for 12 months.
Best advice I can give is tell your friend not to drive to court because as soon as he is convicted the driving ban is enforced and driving home from court will be a further offence.
A door knock breath test is most likely to have been as a result of some info. IMHO this is probably because he’s being doing this 300m drive pissed on a regular basis and someone has decided enough is enough. I’m struggling for sympathy. Drink drivers will alway lie about either how much they drunk (“I can’t believe I was over the limit, I only had a pint”) or how often they do it (“I’ve never done this before, it’s the first time ever”)
He’s most likely looking at at 18 month ban with 25% reduction should he be offered and accepts the course.
Unless he’s rolling in cash, lawyering up for what seems like a fairly cut and dried case will be fairly pointless.
Plead guilty, wear a suit, be humble and apologetic.
He’s most likely looking at at 18 month ban with 25% reduction should he be offered and accepts the course.
Unless he’s rolling in cash, lawyering up for what seems like a fairly cut and dried case will be fairly pointless.
Plead guilty, wear a suit, be humble and apologetic.
Hobo said:
Just speaking to him a little more (as I'm currently on a train down to London), seemingley he was not even in the car when the police knocked.
He had driven home from the cricket club, gone in the house and then the police knocked on the front door and asked him for a breatherliser (sic) test which he agreed to and blew over. Seems odd to me ???
Not really, someone shopped him, and rightly so.He had driven home from the cricket club, gone in the house and then the police knocked on the front door and asked him for a breatherliser (sic) test which he agreed to and blew over. Seems odd to me ???
A mate at uni had driven drunk 'one' night, rolled his car in the middle of nowhere, got out and walked home and the police were waiting for him when he got there. A passer by had reported finding the car.
Dave Hedgehog said:
DD points stay on the licnece for 11 years, valid for 10 of those years
Thats interesting to know. I guess from the OP's friends point of view if he is a sales rep its something he will have to declare to an employer too as their company vehicle insurer may not be too keen on insuring someone with a DD conviction
Jamescrs said:
Dave Hedgehog said:
DD points stay on the licnece for 11 years, valid for 10 of those years
Thats interesting to know. I guess from the OP's friends point of view if he is a sales rep its something he will have to declare to an employer too as their company vehicle insurer may not be too keen on insuring someone with a DD conviction
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