Plymouth taxi driver over the drink drive limit
Thursday, June 30, 2011
A taxi driver was caught behind the wheel of her cab while over the legal alcohol limit.
Jane Watkins, aged 44, was caught when licensing officers checking her paperwork on a rank smelt booze on her breath, Plymouth magistrates heard.
She told the court that drinks the night before had put her reading just over the line.
Watkins, of Little Ash Gardens, St Budeaux, admitted drink-driving on June 14. She was found to have 45 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.
Magistrates banned her from driving for 12 months, fined her £160 and ordered that she pay £40 prosecution costs and £15 victim surcharge.
Elaine Keen, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said city council licensing officers were carrying out checks on taxis in St Budeaux Square at 9.30am.
She said officers saw a white hackney carriage drive towards the end of a rank ready to pick up a fare. Officials stopped to inspect her documents and smelt alcohol on her breath, Mrs Keen said.
The police were called and carried out a positive breath test. Watkins was offered an alternative blood test because of the low reading, but declined.
Watkins, representing herself, said: “I did not know I was over the limit. I would never have driven because I have got so much to lose.”
Source; http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/Plymout ... story.html
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