Drink driver from Skegness escapes ban

A driver has avoided the mandatory three year driving ban for two drink driving offences in a ten year period, because police failed to bring his case to court at the same time or before a subsequent arrest for drug driving, a court has been told.

Marcus Grainger-Oldfield, 28, of Wainfleet Road, Skegness admitted driving with excess alcohol when he appeared at Boston Magistrates Court.

Prosecuting, Marie Stace said Grainger-Oldfield was seen driving at speed on Roman Bank in a Mini Cooper on September 5 and police found the car parked in Sunningdale Drive and Grainger-Oldfield walking away from it.

After a positive breath test, he was arrested and provided a breath sample of 55 microgrammes of alcohol in his breath, the legal limit being 35.

District Judge Peter Veits heard that subsequent to this arrest, Grainger-Oldfield had been before a court in December on a charge of drug driving in September, just five days after this arrest for excess alcohol, and been banned for a year.

It was ruled that had the police brought forward this charge to be heard at the same time, Grainger-Oldfild would have been subject to the three year mandatory driving ban, but as it was, he would be banned for a year and fined £300.

He was also ordered to pay £34 in court costs.