Tip off sees Fenland drink driver in court

Police were alerted to a Walpole St Peter drink-driver by a report of a car being driven “erratically” and a passenger leaning out of a window.

It was just after 10pm on July 30 and the calls came from a member of the public on the A149 at King’s Lynn. The driver of the black Ford Focus involved turned out to be 21-year-old George Edward Reader.

“The report said someone was driving erratically, swerving all over the road,” prosecutor Eleanor Sheerin told King’s Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday. “It was also said that a female passenger was hanging out of the front passenger window.

“Mr Reader was eventually located in Walpole Cross Keys. The car was stationary but the engine was running.”

Reader told police at the scene that he was on his way back from Hunstanton after “having a few beers” and watching the sunset with his girlfriend.

The electrician failed a roadside breath test and was arrested. In custody he blew 80 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath; the legal limit being 35.

Reader, of Chalk Road, pleaded guilty to drink-driving.

In mitigation, Ruth Johnson said her client did not accept that he had driven “erratically”. She added that Reader’s passenger had briefly put her head out of the window and he’d not been happy about that.

Reader was banned from driving for 20 months, which can be cut with successful completion of a drink-driver rehabilitation course. He was also fined £240 and ordered to pay £105 costs and £34 victim surcharge.