Thatcham man Trevor Dye avoids alcohol-related driving ban
A MAN caught in charge of a car after drinking more than the legal limit has avoided a roads ban.
Without a ‘special reasons’ mitigation, a ban of a minimum 12 months is obligatory in cases of drink-driving.
But courts have discretion in cases where a person is convicted of being in charge of a car after drinking.
And they exercised it in the case of Trevor Dye, who appeared in the dock at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Monday, September 30.
The 31-year-old, of Chapel Street, Thatcham, had denied being in charge of a BMW M3 on Bartholomew Street, Newbury, after drinking more than the legal limit on November 23 last year.
But he was convicted following a trial.
Tests showed 79mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system – more than twice the legal limit of 35mcg.
Dye was fined £1,152 and penalty points were placed on his licence.
In addition, he was ordered to pay £775 costs, plus a statutory victim services surcharge of £461.
However, the court did not impose a driving ban, stating that, if disqualified, Dye would lose his job.