Broken light leads to ban for Upwell motorist caught drink-driving

A defective rear brake light led to an Upwell man being arrested for drink-driving at more than twice the limit.

Police pulled over Andrew Cowie, who admitted he had had a “couple of Strongbows” a few hours earlier, magistrates in King’s Lynn heard on Thursday.

Cowie failed a roadside breath test and was taken into custody where he gave an evidential reading of 82 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

The 37-year-old, of Hall Bridge Road, pleaded guilty to drink-driving in St Winnold’s Close, Downham Market, on November 23.

The court was told that he had a conviction for the same offence in 2005 but this was outside the ten-year period, which otherwise would have triggered a mandatory minimum three-year ban.

In mitigation, Charlotte Winchester, said: “He had been out the night before drinking. He stayed at a friend’s house and slept most of the day. He’d had a couple of cans of cider in the afternoon.

"There was no evidence of any impaired driving. He’s extremely sorry.”

Cowie was disqualified from driving for 20 months, which can be cut with completion of a drink- driver rehabilitation course.

He was also fined £461 and ordered to pay £85 costs and £46 victim surcharge.