Drink-driver stopped by member of the public '˜taking keys away'

Vadim Sterlea, 28, of Hartley Street, Boston, admitted driving with excess alcohol when he appeared before Boston Magistrates Court.

Dan Pietryka, prosecuting, said a member of the public saw Sterlea driving his Nissan Almeira in Hartley Street at 9.20am on December 5 and was concerned when he kept moving across lanes at a very low speed, swerving across lanes and ignoring a red traffic light.

He said the witness informed the police and was then able to stop the car and take away the keys until the police arrived.

He said a breath test revealed Sterlea had been driving with 113 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Barbara Newman for the Probation Service said Sterlea did not need rehabilitation and unpaid work was not possible because of his long working hours.

The magistrates banned him from driving for 25 months but offered him the drink drivers’ rehabilitation course which will reduce the period of the ban by 25 weeks.

He was also fined £580 and ordered to pay £143 in costs and charges.