Judge hands drink-driver pub and driving bans

A BRICKLAYER who drove his van dangerously while almost twice over the alcohol limit has been banned – from pubs.

Police tried to pull Beau Farrell over when they spotted him driving in the early hours and a check revealed he was not insured. After ignoring their request for him to stop he sped off, jumped five red traffic lights and drove the wrong way around a roundabout.

Farrell, 29, of Matford Close in Winterbourne, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol, dangerous driving and driving while uninsured in September last year.

He appeared for sentence at Bristol Crown Court. Judge Julian Lambert handed him a 12-month prison sentence suspended for 21 months. The sentence included a 12-month Alcohol Abstinence Monitoring Requirement banning Farrell from booze.

The judge told him: “If you drink you’ll be back and I’ll lock you up. Make sure you don’t come back before me, I’m feeling slightly guilty I’m not sending you to prison.”

Farrell was also handed a 12-month exclusion requirement. That bans him from on-licence premises such as pubs, clubs and restaurants. He was banned from driving for three years and told to take an extended driving test. He must abide by a 12-month weekend curfew and was ordered to pay £375 court costs.

Andrew Pickett, prosecuting, said police saw Farrell at 4.06am and tried to stop him. But he drove towards Downend Road, went through a red light and was clocked at 65mph in a 30mph zone.

Mr Pickett said Farrell drove the wrong way around the Siston Hill Roundabout on the A4174 and jumped more red lights before police stopped him at 4.20am. He got out, attempted to evade officers but was arrested. Mr Pickett added: “A male and a female were in the vehicle. Police could smell alcohol and the defendant was found to be nearly twice over the legal limit.”

A test revealed Farrell had 65 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The limit is 35.

Robyn Rowland, defending, said: “He’s lightly convicted. He’s extraordinarily remorseful.”

Mr Rowland said the offending occurred in the context of a family breakdown last year.

He added that his client was amenable to rehabilitation.