Martin Winstanley, a 40-year-old father of two from Solihull, has given up alcohol entirely after being convicted of drink driving following a family barbecue in Birmingham. He appeared at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on June 23, 2026, where he was banned from driving for 12 months.
Police stop on Leigh Road
On Sunday, June 7, 2026, police on patrol in Leigh Road, Birmingham, observed a vehicle traveling at high speed, exceeding the 30mph limit. Upon stopping the driver, officers noted that Winstanley had glazed eyes and slow speech, indicating intoxication. He admitted to having consumed alcohol earlier at a family gathering.
A roadside breath test recorded 50 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, with the official charge reading 44mcg — just 9mcg over the legal limit of 35mcg. Winstanley had no previous convictions.
Court hearing and guilty plea
Winstanley pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. His solicitor, Ms Begum, told the court: "The defendant has pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. He is 40-years-of-age currently and employed in the sales sector, working 9-5. He has never been in court before."
She emphasised his responsibilities, including working five days a week, school runs for his children, and helping his parents with shopping and medical appointments. "He was not excessively over the limit, the defendant blew 44mcg, just 9mcg over the actual limit," she added. "He drinks only socially, it was a BBQ with friends and family gathering and he had consumed some."
Impact and penalty
Ms Begum described the incident as a significant learning experience: "Clearly this in itself has been a learning curve for him. He has stopped drinking in its entirety because of how stressful this has been." She noted that Winstanley broke down outside court, knowing he would lose his licence.
The prosecutor stated: "While on patrol on Leigh Road, Birmingham, police spotted a vehicle driving at a very high speed, in excess of the 30mph speed limit. The defendant was stopped and on observation they noted he appeared to be intoxicated. His eyes were glazed and his speech was slow. He admitted he had been drinking earlier."
In addition to the 12-month driving ban, Winstanley was ordered to pay a total of £837, including a £537 fine.
