Drink-driver crashed into ditch just yards from his South Downs home

A drink-driver who crashed into a ditch just metres from his house and described his arrest as ‘overkill’ has been banned from driving for two years.
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Police say that club owner Nicholas Hall was found to be more than three times the drink-drive limit after the incident in Rock Road, Storrington, at around 8.46pm on Thursday February 18.

After failing a roadside breath test and being arrested, Hall told the arresting officer: “This is ridiculous. I’ve just put the car in the mud and that’s it.”

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Police say that the 55-year-old, of Gorse Bank Close, Storrington, was taken into custody where he provided a sample of 119mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.

He crashed the car just yards from his homeHe crashed the car just yards from his home
He crashed the car just yards from his home

He was charged with drink-driving and pleaded guilty at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on Friday March 5. He was given a 12 month community order, disqualified from driving for 24 months, fined £153, and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £95 victim surcharge.

Investigating officer, PC Steve Lambeth, of the Sussex Roads Policing Unit, said: “We take all reports of drink-driving very seriously. Drink-driving even a short distance can destroy lives, and just a small amount of alcohol can significantly impair your ability to drive safely.

“But perhaps the more worrying aspect of this case is the complete arrogance and neglect displayed by Hall, who felt we were over-reacting by responding to this incident. Thankfully in this case, no one was hurt by his actions.

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“The sentence passed by the magistrates demonstrates that it doesn’t matter how far you travel – if you are under the influence, you are breaking the law and you are posing a massive risk to yourself and other road users.”