Bank Holiday Drinking? A warning to all from Johnson Astills

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Following the difficult times we have all suffered this year with the Covid-19 pandemic it will be easy to get caught up in the bank holiday spirit, especially as this bank holiday the bars in Leicester and other surrounding areas will finally be open, but, did you know that you may possibly still be over the drink drive limit the following day?

What sentence can you get for drink driving?

Offences we deal with include being in charge of a vehicle while above the legal limit or unfit through drink. This could simply be you sitting in the driver’s seat of your car with the engine running, or pushing the car up the road. If convicted of this offence you could receive:

up to 3 months’ imprisonment
up to £2,500 fine
a period of disqualification

We also deal with a large number of driving or attempting to drive while above the legal limit or unfit through drink where if convicted you could receive:

up to 6 months’ imprisonment
an unlimited fine
a mandatory 12 months disqualification (3 years if convicted twice in 10 years)

Did you also know that refusing to provide a specimen of breath, blood or urine for analysis is an offence? If convicted of this offence you could receive:

up to 6 months’ imprisonment
an unlimited fine
a mandatory 12 months disqualification

Other problems you could face

A conviction for drink-driving also means:

your car insurance costs will increase significantly
if you drive for work, your employer will see your conviction on your licence
you may have trouble travelling to countries like the USA

How can we help?

At Johnson Astills our specialist advocates in the Criminal Defence Team are highly experienced in dealing with driving offences at both the Magistrates’ and Crown Court.

If you find yourself facing any driving offence it is vital to contact a solicitor as soon as possible to obtain expert legal advice. Representation at the police station is free, and legal aid may be available for your case at the Magistrates’ and Crown Court. For offences which do not qualify for legal aid, we offer fixed fees for appointments and representation.

To discuss any driving offences please contact our Criminal Defence Team at our Leicester office on 0116 2554855 or our Loughborough office on 01509 610312.

For more information on the members of our Criminal Defence Team at Johnson Astills please visit our people page.