A driver who crashed a car onto Berkeley roundabout in Scunthorpe under the influence of alcohol was found behind the wheel of another car just six weeks later, again over the limit, a court heard.
On the second occasion, Andrew Boothby lost control of a Volvo car and collided with a lamp post on Brumby Wood Lane.
At Grimsby Crown Court, Boothby, 46, of Danby Road, Messingham, admitted an offence of being in charge of a car under the influence of alcohol committed on May 26, this year.
Meanwhile, on July 5, police chased Boothby as he drove at 70mph on Brumby Wood Lane, where he crashed the Volvo. He admitted dangerous driving and being over the prescribed limit for alcohol.
In court, Miss Jemima Stephenson-Finn said Humberside Police were alerted to a Mini Cooper which crashed into Berkeley roundabout in Scunthorpe at 5.45am on May 26. When police arrived, two men were attempting to tow the vehicle to a nearby street. Boothby claimed the other man was driving at 120mph and crashed the car on to the roundabout. But he later admitted an offence of being in charge of a vehicle while over the limit. He was found with 98 micrograms of .alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the permitted limit being 35 micrograms.
Miss Stephenson-Finn said Boothby was again driving over the limit at 2am on July 5, when police pursued a Volvo car on Brumby Wood lane, where he reached speeds of 70mph in a 30mph limit. The Volvo driver initially stopped when the police officer, PC Harry Walker illuminated blue lights for the driver to stop. But as the officer stepped out of the police car to speak to the Volvo driver, he sped off.
Miss Stephenson-Finn said: “The vehicle clipped a kerb. If there had been a vehicle coming in the opposite direction there would have been a head-on collision. It rebounded off the opposite carriageway and struck a lamp post.”
A breath test later showed he had between 104 and 108 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. She said the driving was a deliberate decision to ignore the rules of the road.
For Boothby, Craig Lowe said the police pursuit was relatively short in distance and no other vehicles had been forced to take avoiding action.
He said his client accepts he has an alcohol problem. He added he had suffered a series of bereavements within his family, having lost his brother, father and sister recently. He said his client works as a forklift driver and a manager described him as “reliable and hard-working.” Mr Lowe said is deeply remorseful.
Sentencing Boothby, Judge Paul Watson KC imposed a year in prison, but suspended it for 18 months. He ordered him to comply with 15 rehabilitation activity days and ordered him to do 120 hours of unpaid work. He banned Boothby from driving for two years and he must sit an extended driving test before regaining his driving licence.
Original artice: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/all-about/scunthorpe
