Drink driver jailed for nine months after being more than three times over the limit (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Drink driver jailed for nine months after being more than three times over the limit

5:00pm Monday 25th February 2013 in News By Chris Gregory

A DRIVER with many previous convictions was arrested after a police officer saw a car rolling backwards down a hill.

Chalie Thomas, of South Lichfield, near Overton, appeared in the dock at Winchester Crown Court for sentence. He had pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to taking a car without consent, driving with alcohol above the legal limit and driving without adequate insurance or licence.

The 23-year-old also pleaded guilty to breaching the terms of a suspended sentence for theft.

The court heard PC Daniel Coppin saw a Hyundai car in Kenilworth Road, Winklebury, Basingstoke, at 2.20am on November 11 last year.

Gavin Sumpter, prosecuting, said: “Initially, he could not see any driver but saw the car rolling backwards down a hill with no lights displayed.

“It then moved forward, and as the officers drove towards the Hyundai, they could see the defendant in the driver’s seat.”

Thomas then drove around the police car, veered across the road and nearly hit a van, before he veered towards the other side of the road, hit the kerb and came to a stop.

After his arrest, officers found the car was rented from a company in Andover and Thomas, who only had a provisional licence, was not on the rental agreement.

A drink-drive test revealed he had 106microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.

Ximena Jones, defending, said her client, who has 27 previous convictions, had a drinking problem and moved to the Basingstoke area from Wales last year in an attempt to improve his life.

Judge Maria Lamb it would “make a mockery of suspended sentences”, were Thomas not imprisoned.

He was jailed for nine months, disqualified from driving for 24 months and ordered to pay an £80 victim surcharge.