Spalding motorist ditched car at Bourne on way home from festival
A motorist who ditched his car returning from a festival was over the legal drink-drive limit.
William Lakey expected to lose his job as a bricklayer after being banned from driving when he appeared at court on Wednesday (September 11).
Magistrates were told how the 23-year-old’s Mercedes CLA 200 left the road near Bourne on August 22.
“Police were called to a single vehicle RTC (road traffic collision) on Spalding Road, Bourne, after reports a car had been ditched,” prosecutor Jade Salter told Boston Magistrates’ Court.
“A male presented himself as the driver and stated he was on his way home from the Creamfields Festival without a phone or a map.”
Ms Salter added Lakey, of Sorrell Drive, Spalding, admitted to having three vodka-energy drinks at the festival before giving police a ‘low reading’.
Lakey was found to have 58 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of blood. The legal limit is 35mcg.
“He couldn’t remember the crash,” Ms Salter added.
“He said he was driving on cruise control and everything went black and he woke up inside the vehicle.”
Defending Lakey, Michele Cheatle said her client would lose his job as a bricklayer as he would no longer be able to get to work.
“He has tried but his boss lives in a different area and they work in another area,” she said.
The court also heard that because insurance refused to cover the incident, Lakey was left with car finance payments of £420 per month.
The defendant, who pleaded to driving over the legal alcohol limit, was banned from the roads for 16 months, which could be reduced to 12 months if he completes the drink driver rehabilitation course.
Lakey must also pay a £120 fine plus a £48 surcharge and £85 costs.