MORE than 100 motorists have been arrested on the roads of Sussex and caught drink driving.
The county’s police force, along with its colleagues in Surrey with whom they share the road’s policing unit, have arrested 172 motorists as part of their Christmas crackdown on drink and drug-drivers.
The campaign, which runs throughout December, has so far seen 23 drivers being convicted.
Those to appear in court so far are:
Gary Kersley, 37, a chef, of Queens Road, East Grinstead, was arrested in Brooklands Way, East Grinstead, on December 9 after he crashed his Volkswagen Golf into a Toyota and then into a parked Audi.
He was subsequently arrested and charged with driving with 108mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system and driving with no insurance. The legal limit is 35mcg per 100ml of breath.
At Crawley Magistrates’ Court on December 28, he was disqualified from driving for 25 months and sentenced to a 12 month community order. He was also ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, and pay a £480 fine, £85 costs and a £85 victim surcharge.
Paul Smith, 53, unemployed, of Medway, Crowborough, was arrested in Mill Lane, Crowborough, on 5 December and charged with driving with 59mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system.
At Brighton Magistrates’ Court on December 21, he was disqualified from driving for 16 months. He was also ordered to pay a £120 fine, £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.
Adam Clarke, 31, a scaffolder, of The Dell, East Grinstead, was arrested in King Street, East Grinstead, on December 6 and charged with driving with 41mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system.
At Crawley Magistrates’ Court on December 21, he was disqualified from driving for 24 months and sentenced to a 12-month community order. He was also ordered to carry out 75 hours of unpaid work, and pay £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.
Graeme Hopkins, 40, army personnel, of Southampton, was arrested in Worth Road, Crawley, on December 8 and charged with being in charge of a vehicle with 114mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system.
At Crawley Magistrates’ Court on December 22, he had his driving licence endorsed with 10 penalty points. He was also ordered to pay a £542 fine, £85 costs and a £54 victim surcharge.
Deborah Wood, 43, a civil servant, of Alder Close, St Leonards, was arrested in Harrow Lane, St Leonards, on December 8 and charged with driving with 74mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in her system.
At Hastings Magistrates’ Court on December 28, she was disqualified from driving for 17 months. She was also ordered to pay a £260 fine, £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.
Brandon Taylor, 19, a window cleaner, of The Kiln, Burgess Hill, was arrested in Tylers Green, Uckfield, on December 9 and charged with driving with 46mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system.
At Crawley Magistrates’ Court on December 28, he was disqualified from driving for 12 months. He was also ordered to pay a £120 fine, £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.
Alexandru Rotaru, 40, a fast food employee, of Broadlands, Horley, Surrey, was arrested on the A23 at Gatwick on December 10 and charged with driving with 101mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system.
At Crawley Magistrates’ Court on December 28, he was disqualified from driving for 44 months and sentenced to a 12 month community order. He was also ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, and pay £85 costs and a £85 victim surcharge.
Paul Macken, 54, a manager, of Horney Common, Uckfield, was arrested on the A22 at Nutley on December 11 and charged with driving with 71mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system.
At Hastings Magistrates’ Court on December 28, he was disqualified from driving for 17 months. He was also ordered to pay a £620 fine, £85 costs and a £62 victim surcharge.
People in Sussex can text officers on 65999 with the details of people they suspect of drink or drug-driving, or visit the Operation Crackdown website.
You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or report it online.
If you know someone is driving while over the limit or after taking drugs, call 999.
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