Sussex drink-driver loses licence after driving 400-yard journey home instead of walking

A motorist who was caught drink driving while on a 400-yard journey home in West Sussex has been disqualified.

Officers were alerted to a van driven by Arthur Wild parked in Jupps Lane near a social club in Mulberry Lane in Goring on 5 July at 7.30pm.

Twenty minutes later they saw the vehicle being driven, and stopped the 64-year-old.

Wild was slurring his words and told officers he had drank two pints of beer.

He was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and tested for 48 microgrammes (mcg) of alcohol per 100 millilitres (ml) of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

Officers charged Wild, a heating engineer, of Ardingly Drive, Goring, and at Worthing Magistrates’ Court last month he admitted drink-driving.

He was disqualified from driving for one year and was ordered to pay a £120 fine, £85 court costs and a £48 victim surcharge.

RPU officer PC Mark Gregory said: “Drink-driving is one of the fatal five reasons why people are killed or seriously injured on our roads.

“Wild lived just 400 yards away from the social club he attended for drinks after work, and obviously thought he would get away with driving the short distance rather than simply walking home.

“This case demonstrates that there is no excuse for drink or drug-driving and shows we are determined to catch offenders.

“Wild put himself and other road users at risk. He could have walked home, or he could have parked at home and walked to the social club. His poor decision has cost him his licence.”