Drink-driver faces losing employment

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Friday, June 6, how Scott Jacques, 23, of Houldsworth Drive, Chesterfield, received a call from his girlfriend who said his friend was in danger of assault.

Prosecuting solicitor Robert Carr said: “Police were on mobile patrol in Dronfield and were waiting at Lea Road and Chesterfield Road junction when they saw a car driving past in excess of the speed limit and they followed it.

“They stopped the car and spoke to Jacques and they could smell alcohol on his breath and he gave a road-side breath test which he failed with a reading of 56 microgramnmes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.”

Jacques pleaded guilty to exceeding the alcohol drink-drive limit after the incident on May 11.

Defence solicitor Euan Edwards said: “His licence was clean. He depends on his licence. He expressed remorse when he was charged at the police station.

“He is employed as an apprentice plasterer and he has a to travel in and around the area.

“It’s very likely he may lose his job by losing his licence.

“He had stopped drinking hours before the incident and had responded to a call and it was a case of not realising how slowly drink leaves the body.

“He responded to a phone call from his girlfriend that one of his friends was in danger because I understand his friend was being assaulted. Jacques believed he was under the drink-drive limit.”

Magistrates sentenced Jacques to a £235 fine and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £24 victim surcharge. He was disqualified from driving for 12 months and was offered a chance to do a drink-drive course to reduce the ban.