Hungerford drink-driver Ethan Wright crashes into lamp post in Newbury

A DRINK-driver lost control of his car and mounted the kerb.

The motorist, on his way to work in Newbury, then collided with a lamp post.

Thankfully, a court heard, the incident happened in the early morning and there were no pedestrians or other vehicles involved.

In the dock at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, January 2, was Ethan Wright.

Although the incident happened around 7.30am, the 22-year-old, of Priory Road in Hungerford, was still almost twice over the limit due to a drinking session the previous evening, the court heard.

Andrew Bellars, prosecuting, said Mr Wright was driving a BMW 3 series on the A339 in Newbury when he lost control of the vehicle, mounted the kerb and finally crashed into the lamp post.

He added: “He came to rest in the middle of the road; police arrived and he failed a subsequent roadside breath test.”

Mr Wright admitted driving after drinking more than the legal limit on December 12 last year.

Tests showed 64mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system.

The legal limit is 35mcg.

David Anderson, defending, pointed out that his client has no previous convictions and said: “In this instance this young man had been drinking the night before and was still over the limit in the morning on his way to work.”

Kevin Edwards, managing director of Baytree Transport Ltd in Newbury, where Mr Wright works, described him in a character reference as “polite, conscientious, hard working and honest.”

Mr Anderson said his client would be allowed to keep his job but would be placed on restricted duties due to the inevitable driving ban.

He added: “He had been hoping for a pay rise but any promotion will be on the back burner now.”

Mr Wright told the court in a letter: “I wish to express my sincere apologies.”

He said he was “deeply ashamed” and would never have driven if he had believed he was still over the legal limit from the previous evening.

Magistrates told Mr Wright the offence had been “very serious” and was aggravated by the fact that he had mounted the kerb and collided with street furniture.

Nevertheless, they said, they had noted his obvious remorse and lack of previous convictions and had taken these factors into account in their sentencing.

Mr Wright was fined £422.

In addition he was ordered to pay £85 costs plus a statutory victim services surcharge of £169.

Finally, Mr Wright was banned from driving for 17 months.