NAMED, SHAMED AND PICTURED: Drink-drivers caught in Portsmouth's Christmas crackdown

Five drivers were at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court to face the music yesterday.

Among them was Deborah Goodenough who pleaded guilty to drink-driving.

Giles Fletcher, prosecuting, said the 54-year-old, of Donaldson Road, Cosham, was more than three times the limit at 120mg of alcohol in breath on December 4 in her street. The limit is 35mg.

Mr Fletcher said a resident heard a noise and thought it was Goodenough crashing into a wall.

Mr Fletcher said: ‘She then reverses and drives into it four times before leaving the scene to go to a different address.

‘In interview she said she had been drinking the night before, got to bed at 4.30am, and during the night had drunk half a bottle of gin.

‘When she woke up she felt fine to drive, she got into the car, saw a cat run across the road, swerved to avoid it, hit the wall and reversed and thought she was still in reverse but went forward, returned home, parked the car and didn’t consume anything else afterwards.

‘The reading by the police was 120, it’s a high reading.’

A photo displayed in court showed the wall which was largely destroyed. Goodenough’s family and friends have repaired the wall, the court heard.

The fitness instructor has no previous convictions and told probation she argued with her partner before drinking. She was banned from the roads for 36 months with £115 costs to pay.

Goodenough gasped as magistrate Susan Waddle imposed an eight-week prison sentence suspended for a year with 10 rehabilitation days and a drink-driver course.

In a separate case, Olegs Golubous, 36, of Washington Road, Buckland, was jailed after being caught nearly four times the limit, and driving a Ford Fiesta without insurance, an MoT or a licence.

He was driving in Baileys Road, Somers Town, to a police station when he was caught with headlights off on December 3 at 12.30am.

The court heard he knew he was on recall to prison and had put a lock knife – given to him by a friend – in a bag to take with him.

He was then charged with having a bladed article. Magistrates banned him for three years.

He was jailed for 22 weeks after admitting drink-driving and six months concurrent for the knife. He received no separate penalty for having no MoT, licence, or insurance.

When arrested Golubous said: ‘I’m drunk now, and I was drunk then.’

Another driver, Benjamin Wimborn, 28, was spotted by Gunwharf Quays security staff looking ‘in drink’ on December 3.

Security called police and they stopped him in Park Road, Portsmouth, at 2am where he was breathalysed and found to have 71 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, more than the 35mg legal limit.

Full-time dad Wimborn, of The Hydneye, Eastbourne, refused a duty solicitor and said he admitted the offence ‘on the basis I’m guilty’.

Magistrate Susan Waddle banned him from driving for 21 months, with a £500 fine, a £50 victim surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.

Danny Mitchell, 30, was back in court after previously being banned for drink-driving in 2009.

Mitchell, of Gordon Road, Fareham, was caught driving an Audi in his own street after being stopped for not wearing a seat belt.

He blew 47mg in 100 millilitres of breath and yesterday pleaded guilty to drink-driving.

Magistrates banned him for 38 months and fined him £350 with a £35 victim charge and £85 costs.

The court heard he previously wanted to go a drink-driver rehabilitation course but had been caught driving while disqualified.

A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said ‘Any motorist who decides to put lives in danger must continue to receive the message that there will be severe consequences for their life, livelihood and liberty.

‘These cases underline those consequences once more; you will have a criminal conviction that has resulted in prison sentences for a number of the offenders highlighted in this article.

‘A jail term is accompanied by a driving ban and often distressing personal implications such as the loss of employment, and time away from families and friends.

‘The consequences that a driver under the influence of drink or drugs will face in the criminal justice system serve as a recurring warning that it’s not worth the risk. Think of not only the damage to your own life, but the misery inflicted on loved ones who endure emotional trauma because of an innocent relative’s death or serious injury.’