Staff at city car park call police about drink-driver
STAFF at a car park called police when they saw a man who was unsteady on his feet get behind the wheel of his Audi A3.
Jake Sond left the John Lewis car park at Highcross, in Leicester, but was stopped by police in Welford Road.
Officers breathalysed Sond and he gave a reading of 81 microgrammes per 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.
Leicester Magistrates’ Court heard that bond dealer Sond, 27, of Willow Road, Blaby, had been out drinking with friends but thought he was safe to drive home after waiting a few hours before setting off at 3am on April 13.
He pleaded guilty to drink-driving. The court heard that Sond had previously been convicted of failing to give a specimen in January 2021, which had led to a 16-month driving ban.
In January this year, he was fined £1,440 at the magistrates’ court for assault by beating after a late-night attack on a stranger in Market Street, Leicester.
Steve Morris, representing Sond, told the court: “Mr Sond had been out with friends.
“He had ceased drinking for a couple of hours and thought he would be below the limit - but he wasn’t.”
He said Sond’s job required him to drive around to see clients but that his employer was keen to keep him on.
Mr Morris said: “He’s somebody they want to keep and if he can be kept in a job that’s something positive.”
Mr Morris asked for Sond to be offered an awareness course that would reduce his ban, but the magistrates refused.
Announcing the driving ban, chairman of the bench Ben Faust told Sond: “This is going to hurt.”
Sond was banned from driving for three years.
He was also fined £461 and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £184 victim surcharge.
MAN SPOTTED UNSTEADY ON HIS FEET AT HIGHCROSS