A DRUNK driver who drove his 4×4 over a parked car after drinking five cans of strong lager has been given a suspended prison sentence.
Philip Weston, 51, of East Street in Long Buckby, has been sentenced to 12 weeks in prison suspended for one year, after he was arrested during Northamptonshire Police’s annual winter drink and drug driving campaign.
He was arrested on the evening of December 6 following a collision between his Range Rover Vogue and two parked cars in East Haddon.
Weston told police he had lost control of his vehicle as he went round a corner, causing it to skid, which resulted in the Range Rover driving over the top of a white BMW M2 series.
Despite damage to the front of his vehicle, Weston attempted to drive off and collided with a second parked car – a pink Fiat 500 Lounge – before becoming embedded in a wall.
At the scene, Weston told officers that he had drunk five standard sized cans of Stella Artois beer during the evening and had been driving home.
Once in custody, his breath sample showed him to be over three-and-a-half times the legal drink drive limit.
In December at Northampton Magistrates’ Court, he pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol.
On February 1 at the same court, Weston was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for one year, and disqualified from driving for 30 months. He was also ordered to pay £85 court costs and £154 victim surcharge as well as complete a rehabilitation activity and a 120-day alcohol abstinence requirement.
Arresting officer PC Michael Hollowell of the force’s Roads Policing Team said: “We see the devastating effects drink and drug driving can have and therefore it is extremely disappointing that some people still choose to ignore our advice and break the law in this way.
“Getting behind the wheel – more than three times over the limit – is not just selfish, but dangerous and reckless and Weston is fortunate that his actions didn’t kill or seriously injure someone.
“Reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads remains the priority for Northamptonshire Police and our partners at the Northamptonshire Safer Roads Alliance, and we will continue to robustly keep such irresponsible drivers off our roads.”
