A 19-year-old engineer has been disqualified from driving for 12 months after police spotted him swerving over the road in a Vauxhall Corsa following a friend's birthday celebration.
George Hill, of Broadmeadow Green, Wolverhampton, was pulled over by officers on Walsall Road at around 1.50am on August 22. He failed a roadside breath test and later gave an evidential reading of 52 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – the legal limit is 35 microgrammes.
Court hearing and guilty plea
Hill pleaded guilty to driving while above the alcohol limit during a hearing at Dudley Magistrates' Court on October 8. John Hopkins, prosecuting, told the court: "Officers were driving down Walsall Road when their attention was drawn to a Vauxhall Corsa, which was swerving over the road."
Hill stopped at the officers' request and took a roadside breath test, which he failed. The court heard that Hill works as an engineer.
Mitigation and remorse
In mitigation, Hill's legal representative said he had "never been in trouble before" and described the circumstances of the evening. The representative said: "He went out to a friend's birthday. He wasn't expecting to drink but he felt peer pressure. He wasn't held down and forced to drink, more a 'come on, have a drink'. He will regret it now for a considerable amount of time. He is very remorseful."
Magistrate Anthony Dubberley told Hill: "It's ok if you want to have a drink, but get a taxi. It's such a shame, we don't want to see 19-year-olds in court who have never been in trouble before."
Penalty and rehabilitation course
Hill was disqualified from driving for 12 months, but was offered a course that would reduce the ban by 12 weeks if completed by a certain date. He was also fined £392 and ordered to pay a £157 victim surcharge and costs of £85.
