A motorist caught by police sitting in the driver's seat enjoying a bottle of whiskey with a drinking buddy has been fined.
Satpal Singh Nandra, 37, of Watery Lane, Northolt had been sipping from a plastic cup and an empty bottle of booze was found by officers in the car's footwell.
He was not banned from driving because the engine was not running, although the keys were in the ignition.
Nandra pleaded guilty at Uxbridge Magistrates Court today for being drunk in charge of a motor vehicle in Popular Avenue, Southall on February 3.
The court heard that at approx 10.35pm, Police Constable Jaz Alangh and Police Sergeant Guy Rooney from Southall Green Safer Neighbourhood Team were on patrol.
Their attention was drawn to a parked vehicle and as the officers approached the vehicle, they saw the driver Nandra and his passenger were both holding plastic cups.
It was also noticed that there was an empty bottle of whiskey in the passenger foot well.
PS Rooney established from Nandra that he had been drinking whiskey for a few hours, whilst sitting in the driver’s seat with the keys in the ignition of the vehicle.
Nandra was arrested for being drunk in charge of a motor vehicle and taken to a west London Police Station.
He was charged with consuming so much alcohol that the proportion of it in his breath was 59 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
The drink drive legal limit for drivers is 35 microgrammes in 100 millilitres of breath.
PC Jaz Alangh, Dedicated Ward Officer, Southall Green said “Drinking and driving kills lives, there are no excuses, even if your sat in the car whilst not driving it! If you want a drink, leave the car at home.”
Nandra's driving licence was endorsed with 10 penalty points and he was fined £423.
He must also pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £42 and costs of £85 to the Crown Prosecution Service.
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