Brighton police in crackdown to stop drink drivers

Argus reporter Daniel Green joined the police on the front line in the effort to take drivers under the influence of alcohol off the roads.

Police set up a stopping point along Richmond Place by St Peter’s Church in Brighton this week to pull over drivers as part of a nationwide crackdown on those prepared to take to the road while drunk or on drugs.

I spent one cold evening with the officers as they flagged down cars and politely asked motorists to be breathalysed to ensure they were not putting other road users in danger.

In between stopping passing cars, the officers told me about some of the excuses drink drivers give after being caught over the limit.

“The classic one is ‘I’ve only had one’ when you can clearly see they are over the legal limit”, one said.

“You also hear people say ‘this will ruin my life’ or ‘I’ve lost my job because of you’, but then they’ve made the choice to drink and drive.”

The driver of a truck was taken into custody and later charge by police (Image: The Argus)

Only half an hour into the operation, officers converged on a truck where a driver was believed to have blown over the legal limit for alcohol.

The man was taken into custody by police and his vehicle was seized, leaving his fellow passenger to complete the rest of his journey on foot.

Benjamin Smeaton, 32, of Dyke Road Drive in Brighton, was later charged with driving while over the legal alcohol limit, as well as driving without third-party insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

He will appear at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on January 12 to answer the charges.

Smeaton is one of the dozens of people to be arrested during the campaign by police, with 23 arrests in Brighton and Hove alone over the course of a fortnight and over 1,000 stops made by officers across the county.

Superintendent Rachel Glenton said: “It is concerning that we are still seeing so many irresponsible drivers getting behind the wheel while intoxicated.

“Some of those we have arrested have been involved in collisions on the road and put themselves and other road users at risk.

“Our officers are determined to catch offenders to prevent them from causing serious harm.

“We police the roads 24/7 and our work to catch those who are over the limit continues all year round.

"Those who are over the limit while driving should be warned that while we cannot be everywhere, officers could be anywhere.

“If you suspect someone is seeking to drive while over the limit for alcohol or drugs, you should report them to police - it could save someone’s life.”

An officer directs a motorcyclist to pull over as part of the operation to clamp down on drink drivers (Image: The Argus)

While at the scene, I spoke to an officer who is relatively new to the traffic team.

She said that she appreciated the chance to be able to educate drivers on potentially dangerous behaviour and explain how they can better protect themselves and other road users.

“It feels good to make a positive change and make the roads safer,” she said.

Towards the end of the night’s operation, I caught up with police sergeant Ian Richardson, who said that drink driving is not worth the risk.

He said: “You get in these vehicles and they are weapons that could cause serious injury if they hit somebody.

"To drive impaired by drink or drugs is about the worst thing you can do when you get behind the wheel.

“There are buses, taxis, trains and other options to get home - and there is always the option not to drink.”

Police Sergeant Ian Richardson (Image: The Argus)

In a message directly to those who will be enjoying themselves and drinking over the festive period, he said: “If you’re planning to drink at your Christmas party, don’t get in a car and be that driver.

“Book a taxi, get a relative to pick you up, walk home with friends if you live nearby, but don’t drive. It’s simple, isn’t it.”

The crackdown, which continues through the festive season, is part of Operation Limit - a nationwide police campaign which has seen all forces in England and Wales increasing their presence on the roads.