An army sergeant caught almost three-times the legal limit while driving in Carlisle faces demotion and possible loss of his job, a court has heard.
Stephen Hope, 44, appeared before city magistrates today and admitted driving a black Volvo S60 with excess alcohol. It followed an incident in the Harraby area on Sunday, May 22 this year.
A PC stopped the Volvo due to it travelling at excess speed on London Road, said prosecutor George Shelley.
The driver was identified as Hope, who provided a positive roadside test. He was arrested, taken into custody and the lower reading provided was 101 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.
Hope was said to have nine previous convictions for 13 criminal offences, including a drink-driving crime committed more than a decade ago, in 2008.
A probation officer told the court she understood Hope’s issues were being addressed within the army.
The probation officer was unable to recommend a community punishment as the defendant had no free time in which to tackle unpaid work due to family commitments, while a night-time curfew was unsuitable due to him having to go out on manoeuvres.
Hope’s lawyer, Jack Cooper, said the offence had been a lapse of attention which is regrettable. “He is very remorseful. He is just glad that no one was hurt from the incident,” said Mr Cooper.
Hope, of Evelyn Woods Road, Aldershot, was a sergeant with the army who had served for 20 years. Character references had been provided, Hope had penned his own personal statement and was accompanied in court by a major.
“I think I can assure your worships, in addition to the punishment that the court will give today, Mr Hope will also receive punishment from the armed forces,” Mr Cooper told magistrates.
He was likely to receive a demotion among a number of sanctions and, said the lawyer, could possibly even lose his employment.
Magistrates imposed a £750 fine and ordered Hope to pay a £75 mandatory surcharge and £85 costs. He was also banned from driving for 24 months but was offered a rehabilitation course which, if completed within a specified time period, will see his disqualification cut by 24 weeks.
