Tracy Johnson of Forrest Williams
At Mansfield Magistrates’ Court this week, Adele Fox was relieved when she was sentenced for her drink driving offence. She told our Senior Solicitor, Steve Williams, that she had been expected to be disqualified for much longer due to the aggravating factors relating to her offence. In addition, she did not expect to be offered a place on the drink drive rehabilitation course, as she felt the court would want to make an example of her, and punish her more harshly.
Adele told Steve that she realised her outcome had no doubt been influenced by his assertive mitigation within the court room, and the skilful way in which he had painted a picture of her good character in court, whilst recognising the fact that she had hit a parked car while driving with a breath reading over the legal limit.
Adele had been driving the short distance home after a night out with friends when her car made contact with another vehicle parked at the side of the road. She told us that this was observed, and that the police were called. However, she stressed that this behaviour was out of character and that she had no previous drink driving offences.
Before the court hearing, Adele had prepared herself as best she could for the disqualification she knew would happen. She travelled to court with a friend, who drove for her, and she brought a letter of apology and a couple of character reference letters, as advised to do by her case worker.
She knew that for her reading, a breath reading of 79, the sentencing guidelines indicate that the disqualification period be in the range 17-22 months. Adele was expecting to be disqualified for 22 months.
However, on the day of the hearing, following Steve Williams’ forceful mitigation, the District Judge ruled that Adele be disqualified for 17 months and that she be offered a place on the drink driving course, the completion of which will reduce her disqualification by up to 25%.
Adele told Steve she was very relieved by the knowledge that she would be back on the road much sooner than she had anticipated, and stressed that she had learned her lesson from this one isolated court experience.
If you need help for a drink driving matter, call our expert team now on 01623 397200.
