Driver banned after refusing to give police breath sample
AN Ashbourne motorist has been banned from driving after he refused to supply a sample of breath for analysis, following allegedly drinkdriving in Ashbourne last October.
On Saturday, October 24, officers attended the home of David Groves-hunt, of Old Hill, after receiving a report that a man was suspected of drink driving.
The 58-year-old was asked by officers to supply a breath sample but he repeatedly refused and was arrested for failure to provide a sample.
He once again failed to provide a sample in custody and was charged with the offence.
Groveshunt appeared at Southern
Derbyshire
Magistrates Court on Monday, January 4 and pleaded guilty.
He was handed a suspended prison sentence, required to perform 150 hours of unpaid work and to pay costs, in addition to a 30-month driving ban. PC Reece
Frogatt, officer in the case, said: “Motoring offences can be fatal and we will continue to do everything in our power to ensure that we work together with the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure that anyone committing them is held accountable.
“This result means that Derbyshire’s roads are that bit safer and we would encourage anyone who suspects that someone is driving dangerously, for whatever reason, to report it so that we can investigate.”
Derbyshire police carried out a drink-driving operation in December, and officers carried out 188 breath tests on motorists.
They found that 37 of the drivers tested were either positive or refused or failed to provide a sample of breath.
Anyone refusing to provide a specimen of breath, blood or urine for analysis could face six months’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine or a ban from driving for at least one year.
We would encourage anyone who suspects someone is driving dangerously to report it.
Police