Drink-drivers taken off the road for 12 years in Hampshire police summer crackdown

At least seven people have appeared at Portsmouth Magistrates' Court since Monday, charged with drink or drug-drive offences '“ racking up disqualifications amounting to 12 years. 

Among them was Roy Payne, of Sultan Road, Leigh Park, who was handed a 29-month ban on Tuesday after being found driving more than four times over the limit. 

As he appeared before magistrates, the court heard Payne, 49, had drunkenly '˜staggered along the road' to get to his parked Ford Focus in Brockhurst Avenue, Havant, during the evening of June 16 '“ alerting onlookers who called the police. 

When officers arrived, said prosecutor Graham Heath, Payne was found '˜reversing and parking at the side of the road', where his poor state became immediately obvious. 

Mr Heath said: '˜He told police 'I know what I've done, I've been drinking all day.'' 

Payne then provided a test which found 161mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath '“ more than four times the 35mg limit. 

He was arrested and taken to Portsmouth Central Police Station in Winston Churchill Avenue, where he proved hard work for officers overseeing his custody '“ refusing to give a follow-up sample. 

Mr Heath said: '˜He was described as being volatile. He said he wanted to die and tried to kill himself while in custody. 

'˜He also failed to provide a specimen.' 

The court heard Payne '“ who it was also discovered had  the wrong class of driving licence for his vehicle '“ has a rap sheet of convictions dating back to the 1980s. 

Among these, Mr Heath said, are offences '˜related to the use of vehicles'. 

But after the court heard Payne's probation report, mitigating lawyer Simon Moger said his client was '˜last in trouble 13 years ago'. 

Addressing chairman of the bench Barry Audus, Mr Moger also gave Payne credit for the early admission of his offence, as well the guilty plea he gave in court. 

Alongside his driving ban for two years and five months, Payne must also complete 150 hours of unpaid community work over the next year and undergo rehabilitation activities. 

He also owes £170 in costs. 

Not alone in being sentenced for drink-drive offences on Tuesday, Payne's punishment comes as part of county police's It's Not Worth the Risk campaign. 

The drive has seen officers from Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Police's joint operations unit carry out day and night drink and drug patrols across their respective areas, since June 4.

Dubbed the forces' '˜summer crackdown', it will continue until Saturday, July 14 '“ the day before the World Cup final. 

As proceedings continued on Tuesday, Severi Glanville of Lawrence Road, Southsea, was banned for 24 months for driving over the limit in a car park at Queen Alexandra Hospital, in Cosham, on June 17. 

Magistrates heard the 44-year-old had allegedly found himself sober after carrying out a commercial home breath testing kit, before '˜testing the performance' of a hire vehicle in first and second gear at the site. 

But after police received reports of his '˜erratic driving', Glanville was breathalysed and returned 109mg in 100ml of breath '“ earning him a two-year ban. 

Strangely said Mr Heath, prosecuting, after being arrested Glanville asked police to '˜drop by his address and drop his cat off'.

He also faces a 7pm-midnight home curfew for the next six weeks and 10 days of unpaid work. 

Later, Lauren Gibson of Chaffinch Way, Fareham, was disqualified for a year after police arrested her for pulling out in front of an unmarked vehicle in Condor Avenue on June 18.

Officers found the 27-year-old had drunk two glasses of wine at a local pub, leaving her with 45mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. 

While the court heard Gibson did not have a previous conviction related to driving, she had assaulted a police officer in 2016. 

Now '“ on top of a ban '“ she must pay £225 for legal costs and undertake a drink-driving course by February 6, 2019.