CCTV catches Fazeley drink driver

By nrobinson

A FAZELEY man who was found to be 'well over' twice the legal drink drive limit has been fined £1,700.

Ian Brent Williams was spotted on CCTV in the town centre on the morning of June 13, at around 9.15am, drinking alcohol and then getting into a car.

The images captured the 33-year-old driving away in a Jaguar S-Type.

Police were notified and stopped Williams.

Officers said it was apparent Williams had been drinking.

The defendant failed a roadside test and was asked to supply two breath samples, the lowest of which gave a reading of 81 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – the legal limit is 35 micrograms.

Appearing at Tamworth Magistrates' Court on Monday, Williams, of Rutland Drive, pleaded guilty to driving a vehicle having consumed excess alcohol.

Prosecuting Mr David Bell, told the bench Williams was 'well over twice the legal limit'.

Williams' solicitor Jo Tait said the matter was straightforward.

Ms Tait explained that while the offence had no aggravating features or mitigating circumstances, she hoped magistrates would consider Williams' personal mitigation.

"My client is self-employed and works as a civil engineer," she said.

"He runs his own company and it takes him all over the country. He employs seven people, but is the only one with a licence to drive the seven-tonne vehicles used for work. He works very hard and very long hours."

But, Ms Tait said, Williams would be prepared to employ someone who could drive the vehicles. Although it's his own fault, this will have a bigger impact on my client than most people coming to court," she told the bench.

Ms Tait also explained how Williams is father to four children, three of whom live with him.

The fourth he pays maintenance for.

Williams, she said, is the sole bread winner in his household.

Ms Tait added: "His attitude to the offence is enormous remorse. My client is a man of good character. He has no warnings, no cautions and no previous convictions.

"He doesn't seek to put forward an excuse. He knows what he did was wrong and he could not be more remorseful.

"The burden of guilt he feels is insurmountable.

"I am quite confident, on his behalf, you'll never see him in court again."

After considering reports, magistrates fined Williams £1,700 and banned him from the road for 20 months and ordered him to pay £60 court costs and a £15 victim support surcharge.

He was also given the opportunity to undertake a drink drivers' awareness course, which will see his ban reduced by five months on completion of the course.