Drink-Driver Collided With Lamp-Post

Wimbledon Magistrates' Court

A drink-driver, who collided with a lamp-post after taking to the wheel after a works leaving do, was banned from the roads today.

Oliver Daniels, 46, of Golfside Place, Chessington Road, Epsom told the officers he was overtaking another vehicle when he had the accident.

He pleaded guilty to driving a silver Citroen, with excess alcohol in his breath, in Lombard Road, Battersea on February 28.

Daniels was fined £570, with £85 costs, plus a £57 victim surcharge and disqualified from driving for 17 months.

Wimbledon Magistrates Court heard police were called and found no occupants in the car.

Daniels approached the officers and owned up to being the driver.

At the police station he gave a breath reading of 61 microgrammes – the legal limit is 35.

His lawyer Richard Jeffries told the court: “Instead of running away he immediately told the police he was the person they were seeking. He took the full responsibility for his wrongdoing.

“The police say he was calm, quiet, co-operative and polite. Everything he could do to put this right, he did from the word go.”

Daniels, a £48,000-a year manager at the company he works for, had attended the leaving party of a work colleague and consumed alcohol.

“The vehicle was written-off,” added his lawyer. “The bill from the local council for the lamp-post has not arrived yet.”