Market Deeping drink driver banned from roads after shunting parked cars in Crowland

A drink driver who shunted three parked cars and damaged his own vehicle has been banned from the roads.

Toby Clegg of Hallfleet, Market Deeping damaged a Volkswagen Golf, Mini and Mitsubishi Outlander parked in West Street, Crowland before driving away with significant damage to his vehicle.

At about 8.30pm on Saturday, May 6, Clegg had driven into one vehicle which had shunted into another and that one had hit the other.

The 20-year-old was located by police in Deeping St James a short time later and a tyre was missing from his Volkswagen polo.

A court heard that he had driven to his girlfriend’s house in Cowslip Drive but didn’t park there because he didn’t want her parents to see the damage.

Prosecutor Shelley Wilson told magistrates in Boston on Wednesday (May 24): “Mr Clegg didn’t stop and give his details at the time. He simply drove away.”

In custody the defendant blew 83 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

He pleaded guilty to drink-driving.

Solicitor Stuart Wild, mitigating, said his client had gone to Crowland to watch friends play football.

“It wasn’t his intention to drink afterwards but being young and naïve he did. He stopped and reverted to soft drinks thinking he would be okay to drive,” he added.

Mr Wild said Clegg knew the owners of the three cars damaged and had subsequently been in touch with them.

Clegg was sentenced to 140 hours of unpaid work as part of a 12-month community order.

He was also banned from driving for 20 months, which can be cut with completion of a drink-driver rehabilitation course.

A £210 fine and costs and victim surcharge totalling £199 were also imposed.