Trucker branded “disgraceful” after driving 40-tonne lorry for 150 miles while more than twice the drink-drive limit
SUFFOLK: A boozed up trucker was caught behind the wheel of his 40-tonne lorry while more than twice the drink-drive limit — after having driven to Suffolk from Birmingham.Ian Shotton — branded “disgraceful and irresponsible” by a judge — was only caught when a garage attendant smelt alcohol on his breath as he went to buy a coffee at a service station on the A14.
By that time he had already completed 150 miles of his journey.
Traffic officers stopped his articulated lorry on the A14 near Sproughton at 9.30am on May 30.
During a hearing at South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court yesterday, the 56-year-old, from Shropshire, admitted driving while over the alcohol limit.
The court heard that a breath test carried out at the police station following his arrest recorded 85 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - the legal limit is 35mcg.
Representing himself in court, Shotton said he had set off from Birmingham that morning at 6am.
A probation officer, who assessed Shotton, said he had drunk around six pints of beer the night before which was an “unusual amount”, as he normally only drank socially.
He told the court Shotton was stopped after a service station employee smelt alcohol on his breath as he served him a coffee.
Shotton was said to be “remorseful and devastated” and had lost his job as a result of being arrested.
Sentencing Shotton, District Judge David Cooper said: “It is really hair-raising to hear you were driving all that way in an articulated vehicle, from Birmingham to Suffolk.
“It seems to me you must have had more to drink than you said.
“If you had previous convictions I would be sending you to prison.
“Your behaviour was disgraceful and irresponsible.”
Judge Cooper handed Shotton a six-month community order and urged him to keep all supervision appointments.
He disqualified the 56-year-old from driving for two years, offering him a rehabilitation course to reduce that time to 18 months.
To be over twice over the following morning, he had a hell of alot more than 6 pints! 2 hours per pint for your liver to break it down.
At a reading of 85, he must have been swigging gin on the move
Should never get behind a wheel again
perhaps the french idea of having to carry your own breath tester kit has some merit?
Derf:
To be over twice over the following morning, he had a hell of alot more than 6 pints! 2 hours per pint for your liver to break it down.
At a reading of 85, he must have been swigging gin on the move
Agreed, although I thought the pigs would have checked his unit for alcohol after nabbing him.
xamtex:
perhaps the french idea of having to carry your own breath tester kit has some merit?
It’s standard practice on National Express coaches now. The driver has to provide a negative alcohol sample before the engine will start. If you fail the breath test, you boss and National Express know before you’ve decided what excuse you’re going to tell them!
Just had this subject as part of a CPC module, it was a discussion about alcohol consumption and how long it takes to leave the bloodstream that surprised a lot of us.
dinosteveus1:
Derf:
To be over twice over the following morning, he had a hell of alot more than 6 pints! 2 hours per pint for your liver to break it down.
At a reading of 85, he must have been swigging gin on the moveAgreed, although I thought the pigs would have checked his unit for alcohol after nabbing him.
Don’t need to, providing a positive evidential test is an absolute offence. They wouldn’t need to look in the cab for empties if they stopped him on the road, they only do that following an accident or some time after the vehicle has stopped in case the driver tries the hip-flask defence.
the one and only:
Should never get behind a wheel again
Sun reader??
Nope The Mirror at times because of the sports coverage! I just have my own opinion on the subject and that is one that my life my childrens lives my grandsons life are important and not to be greater risked whilst using the roads by some boozed up driver regardless of profession
Derf:
To be over twice over the following morning, he had a hell of alot more than 6 pints! 2 hours per pint for your liver to break it down.
At a reading of 85, he must have been swigging gin on the move
Drinking 2 pints will take your body 4 hours to process the alcohol, increased or decreased by the amount of food in your digestive system and the health state of your liver.
Read more: wiki.answers.com/Q/How_long_does … z1yhN2lYiL
So, 6 pints would take 12hrs to process, but if he’d had a 9hr off, by time he’s been and got a shower, and drank those 6 pints, he’s probably back on the road 6hrs after his last drink, then he could easily still be twice the limit.
I cannot agree with this though, if I drink, I feel the effects, 5 or 6 pints and I’ll be drunk, in a morning I might be a bit groggy (unlikely after only 6 though) BUT I’ll have a coffee and some breccy and I’ll be ok, continue on my day as normal. They’re trying to say that you’re still as dangerous then as after drinking the 2 (ish) pints and then driving straight away?
Also, not convinced that’s the same for everyone either, I’ll have a pint when I go out for a meal and drive back without thinking about it, but my brother can’t drink a pint and walk back to the table with the 2nd without spillage.
the guy had travelled 150 miles without any problems, he even stopped for a coffee, he didn’t kill anyone.
i’m not saying he shouldn’t be punished. but why take his livelyhood away, just put him in prison for 2 weeks, then if he’s caught again give him 2 months. i’m sure a short prison sentence would be more of a deterent, rather than taking his livelyhood, and possibly his house away. he’ll be on the dole, he’ll probably end up with a drink problem and become a drain on society.
I’ve heard of a few people who have been caught out by the “morning after” thing and without exception they say that they did not feel any different to a morning after they hadn’t been drinking.
limeyphil:
the guy had travelled 150 miles without any problems, he even stopped for a coffee, he didn’t kill anyone.
BUT WHAT IF HE HAD■■? a lot could go wrong in 150 miles, was it just luck or was he that good?? and importantly what about the next time, when he knows he can handle it and has one more for the road, then he could end up killing someone.
Would you, I or anyone honestly be so forgiving if someone over the limit ran into you or heaven forbid a family member, child standing at a corner and the back wheels didnt quite make it round?? all sorts of things can go wrong and we never know what Joe public is going to do, it may not even be his fault but would the reactions still be as sharp??
Personally I think there should be a zero limit for drink driving no matter who and what vehicle it is, thats just my opinion and mine alone.
Madguy 
waynedl:
Derf:
To be over twice over the following morning, he had a hell of alot more than 6 pints! 2 hours per pint for your liver to break it down.
At a reading of 85, he must have been swigging gin on the moveDrinking 2 pints will take your body 4 hours to process the alcohol, increased or decreased by the amount of food in your digestive system and the health state of your liver.
Read more: wiki.answers.com/Q/How_long_does … z1yhN2lYiL
So, 6 pints would take 12hrs to process, but if he’d had a 9hr off, by time he’s been and got a shower, and drank those 6 pints, he’s probably back on the road 6hrs after his last drink, then he could easily still be twice the limit.
I cannot agree with this though, if I drink, I feel the effects, 5 or 6 pints and I’ll be drunk, in a morning I might be a bit groggy (unlikely after only 6 though) BUT I’ll have a coffee and some breccy and I’ll be ok, continue on my day as normal. They’re trying to say that you’re still as dangerous then as after drinking the 2 (ish) pints and then driving straight away?
Also, not convinced that’s the same for everyone either, I’ll have a pint when I go out for a meal and drive back without thinking about it, but my brother can’t drink a pint and walk back to the table with the 2nd without spillage.
The first 2 pints would only just bring him up to the legal limit (probably below it actually), therefore the time it takes the 4 pints to be flushed from the body would be between 8 and 12 hours. He’s already driven 150 miles which would take around 3 hours. If he was twice over 9 - 12 hours after having his last drink (allowing for some liesure time between parking up and hitting the sack), he would have to had consumed a hell of alot more than 6 pints the night before or he was drinking whilst on the road. Either way highly irresponsible for a professional driver and he fully deserves to have his vocational entitlement revoked. What’s the difference between that and an operator losing their repute and prohibited from holding an O licence?
Question, should a VOSA enforcement officer caught 3 times above the legal limit driving his car home from the pub be sacked, his job is supposed to be all about road safety & that kind of drinking and driving is definately a threat to road safety. IMHO!!
Ross.
bigr250:
Question, should a VOSA enforcement officer caught 3 times above the legal limit driving his car home from the pub be sacked, his job is supposed to be all about road safety & that kind of drinking and driving is definately a threat to road safety. IMHO!!Ross.
Yes,he should be sacked,was he ? or did he just get a slap on the wrists and " on your way sunshine " ?
bigr250:
Question, should a VOSA enforcement officer caught 3 times above the legal limit driving his car home from the pub be sacked, his job is supposed to be all about road safety & that kind of drinking and driving is definately a threat to road safety. IMHO!!Ross.
Yea, sack the ■■■■■■■ A pig would get the boot, happened in the past.
Anyways, what’s VOSAstappo got to do with this? Has one of these ■■■■■ been caught DUI?
madguy:
limeyphil:
the guy had travelled 150 miles without any problems, he even stopped for a coffee, he didn’t kill anyone.BUT WHAT IF HE HAD■■? a lot could go wrong in 150 miles, was it just luck or was he that good?? and importantly what about the next time, when he knows he can handle it and has one more for the road, then he could end up killing someone.
Would you, I or anyone honestly be so forgiving if someone over the limit ran into you or heaven forbid a family member, child standing at a corner and the back wheels didnt quite make it round?? all sorts of things can go wrong and we never know what Joe public is going to do, it may not even be his fault but would the reactions still be as sharp??
Personally I think there should be a zero limit for drink driving no matter who and what vehicle it is, thats just my opinion and mine alone.
Madguy
what is the point of living a life of what if? maybe this? maybe that?
lock everyone up, they may do something wrong tomorrow.
don’t teach your kids to swim, they might drown in the process.
if someone is stopped whilst carrying a knife, should he be given 25 years inside, just in case he kills someone?
a friend of mine starts swaying after 2 pints. lucky sod.
it costs me much more. we’re not all the same.
i’m not saying he shouldn’t be punished. but the sentencing punishes not only him, but his whole family.
a few weeks inside for someone that isn’t a career criminal would be enough to deter him. after that he can get on with his life, and put it behind him. knowing that if he’s stopped again, then he’ll be locked up for much longer.
Are you telling me he wasn’t aware of the possible consequences when he was getting pi$$ed?
He clearly drank much more than the 6 he’s claiming, he must have known that drinking the amount he did, he’d be over the limit in the morning. If he was drinking while at the wheel then thats even worse. The guy is a complete plum. He didn’t think of the consequences on his family one little bit so why should the court?
If you’re disturbed at night in a truckstop by some shady figure in black unscrewing your filler cap are you going to tell him politely to go on his way - after all he hasn’t done anything (yet) and he hasn’t harmed anyone. By your logic you certainly wouldn’t challenge him or phone the police on the chance he ‘might’ be trying to steal your diesel…
Why would anyone have the need to be in a public place with a knife? If they have a knife without lawful excuse ( fishermen scouts etc) I put it to you they have that knife on them with some sort of intention.