Driver jailed after 12th drink offence

A MAN already banned from driving for 30 years was jailed for six months yesterday after crashing a car during a 'motorised pub crawl', writes Andrew Gliniecki.

Jeremy Smith, 29, of Beaumont Leys, Leicestershire, notched up his 12th drink-driving conviction in 10 years and his 34th offence of driving while disqualified.

Leicester Magistrates' Court was told that he had crashed his car after drinking four pints of lager. Smith, who has been driving since the age of 13, had been drinking at the Magpie and Stump pub in Beaumont Leys. He got into the car shortly before midnight on 27 July and reversed it into another vehicle.

A later intoximeter reading showed that Smith had 83 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath - the legal limit is 35.

Oliver D'Sa, for the defence, said that Smith had embarked on a 'motorised pub-crawl'. 'His behaviour is outrageous, inexplicable and uncontrollable,' he said. Smith was jailed for six months for driving while disqualified, with another six months, to run concurrently, for driving with excess alcohol.

Magistrates imposed no separate penalty for driving with no insurance, but imposed a further three-year driving ban, to run concurrently with the existing 30-year ban.

Derek Probart, chairman of the Campaign Against Drinking and Driving, said that Smith was 'an appallingly sick man' and prison would not solve his problem.

'We just do not seem to be able to cope with people like this in this country. The magistrates' hands are totally tied,' he said.

'A driving ban in this particular case is not going to make any difference at all. One day the most fearful thing is going to happen - he is going to kill someone.'