Police name motorists charged with drink-driving

FIRST IDENTITIES REVEALED IN DECEMBER ROAD SAFETY BLITZ

DERBYSHIRE police has begun its naming and shaming of those it has charged with drink driving this month as part of a festive campaign to make roads safer.

Last week, the Burton Mail reported how police were keen to publicly reveal the names throughout this month.

Now the force has released the identities of five people who have been charged within the Derbyshire area, their addresses, their age and details of each alleged offence.

The names were shared on Derbyshire Police’s Facebook and Twitter pages – meaning that many thousands could now see who had been charged.

The names of those charged include: Alexander Baker, 24, of Darfield Drive, Heanor; Ben Sharpley, 18, of Lismore Road, Buxton, Jake Wilkinson, 20, of Long Lane, Shirebrook; Liam Smith, 35, of Hazel Grove, Matlock; and Christopher Sheldon, 29 of Stoney Middleton.

The charges relate to offences that happened between Saturday, December 1, and Monday, December 3.

Baker was charged after his vehicle was stopped in Nottingham Road, Codnor in the early hours of December 1.

Sharpley was arrested and charged following a collision in Burlington Road, Buxton on December 1.

Wilkinson was arrested and charged after he was stopped in Derby at 4am.

Smith was stopped by police in Oakethorpe on December 2 and Sheldon was stopped by officers at High Street, Stoney Middleton.

A Derbyshire Police spokesman said: “Throughout December, we will be naming every motorist who is charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Derbyshire. So far, five people have been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol since December 1.

“We have listed their names, and will do the same for anyone else who is charged.

“It is part of our campaign to raise awareness of the consequences of driving while intoxicated, which is of a higher risk in December due to the rise in the amount of social events for Christmas and New Year.”

One Facebook user, whose comment was liked by 250 people, said: “This should be done all year round.”

Another said: “Awesome Derbyshire Constabulary, I think this is great.”