Holywell drink-driver banned for three years after crash

David Davies, of Whitford Street in Holywell, appeared at Mold Magistrates Court on Thursday.

The 64-year-old admitted that on August 29 at Mold, he drove a vehicle on the A541 when the proportion of alcohol in his breath exceeded the specified limit.

He was found to have 95 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - the limit being 35.

Davies also admitted that he drove on that occasion without insurance.

Rhian Jackson, prosecuting, told the court that on the day of the offence, police were called out to the junction of the B5123 as a vehicle had collided with a sign.

Officers attended and found a vehicle severely damaged at the site.

Davies was sat in the driver's seat and appeared injured.

Initially, he refused to engage with the police, telling them only that he was David and lived in Holywell, and he refused medical treatment.

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But he admitted he'd been drinking and after providing a positive roadside sample he was taken to Llay.

Ms Jackson told the court the defendant had nine convictions for 11 offences, with relevant past crimes including a drink-drive in 2013 and being in charge of a motor vehicle whilst over the limit in 2022.

Catherine Jagger, defending, said her client wished to profusely apologise for his behaviour.

The court heard from a member of the probation service that on the day he'd started drinking at around 1pm.

Initially he started with lagers but then progressed to Jack Daniels, having been to various pubs.

He made the decision to get behind the wheel and drive eight miles to his home.

Davies had been employed as a painter and decorator for 40 years but hadn't worked for several months due to health difficulties, the court heard.

Deputy District Judge Andrew Jebb told the defendant: "This was clearly a very serious incident with potentially fatal consequences either for you, or other road users.

"You made the deliberate decision in a drunken state to attempt to drive eight miles and obviously on that journey you had a collision."

He handed down a 12-month community order with two requirements - 15 days of rehabilitation activity and a 60-day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement.

He was disqualified from driving for three years and was warned that the alcohol order would run until Christmas Day.

The Deputy District Judge advised him to wait until Boxing Day should he wish to have a drink, as the order would likely expire just before midnight.

Davies was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £114 victim surcharge.

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