Drink driver awaiting court appearance hit pedestrian when again over limit

Daniel Andrew Hough of Barton Lane, Firsby, near Spilsby admitted all the offences when he appeared at Boston Magistrates Court.

Prosecuting, Lynne Bickley said that at 6.50am on August 8, police found him in his Vauxhall Astra van at McDonalds in Grand Parade in Skegness and he was arrested after failing to give a breath test.

She said he later refused a breath test at the police station but did give a blood sample, which showed he was more than double the limit with a reading of 162 micrograms of alcohol in his blood, the legal limit being 80.

While awaiting the result of the blood analysis, he was again driving his Vauxhall Astra van when he knocked down a pedestrian in Scarborough Avenue at 12.50am on August 29.

Ms Bickley said that although he did slow down, he did not stop and drove off 'at speed', leaving the pedestrian with injuries requiring hospital treatment.

She said Hough was traced and arrested, again refusing to give a breath test, claiming he had asthma, but the police said he did not have a reasonable excuse as he had been able to give one when his release from custody was dependent on giving one.

Mitigating, David Eager said Hough developed an alcohol problem during the lockdown and he was trying to get free of it.

He said Hough was 'genuinely appalled at his behaviour and the depths to which he sank last year. He let himself down badly.'

Hough was sentenced to a total of 20 weeks in prison suspended for 18 months for all the offences and ordered to undertake 15 rehabilitation days.

He was also ordered to pay £500 in compensation to the injured pedestrian and was banned from driving for two years.