Drink-driver facing sack admits he made "the biggest mistake"

Robert Reece was stripped of his driver’s licence at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to one count of driving under the influence of alcohol, having been pulled over by a police patrol last month.

The court had heard that the 23-year-old, of Fell Street in Leigh, felt okay to drive, having stopped drinking several hours before getting behind the wheel.

But he was shown to be still over the limit when he was stopped and breathalysed by officers.

And his solicitor told the court that he realised he had made “a huge error judgement” which would cost him his employment.

Prosecutor Tess Kenyon told the court that police were patrolling the East Lancashire Road shortly after 4am on February 27, when they saw a Nissan Duke pull over at a petrol station.

Officers followed the vehicle and spoke with Reece, the driver, as well as his passenger.

The hearing was told that the officer reported that both of the vehicle’s occupants smelled of alcohol.

Reece performed a roadside breath test which returned a positive reading, and he was taken to the police station for further tests.

These provided another positive reading of 56 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mgs.

Defending, Ged Frazer told the bench that Reece had been drinking with friends on the day before his arrest.

But he had stopped drinking around four hours before he decided to drive, and mistakenly believed that he would be legally safe to do so.

“He’s made a huge error of judgement that’s going to cost him his licence, and it’s a judgement that could cost him his job,” said Mr Frazer, adding that it was highly likely Reece would lose his job because he had no other means of reaching his place of work: 20 miles north of his home at the Walton Summit industrial complex at Preston.

He accepted he had made “the biggest mistake,” Mr Frazer said.

Reece told the magistrates: “I am sorry it’s come out this way.

“It’s had a big impact on me and my family.”

Admitting the charge against him, Reece was disqualified from driving for 12 months, although he can reduce this ban period by three months if he undertakes a drink-driving awareness course.

He must also pay a £153 fine, court costs of £85 and a £32 victim surcharge.