Banned Sheffield drink-drive builder says losing his licence is like losing his hands

A drink-drive builder says if he “loses his licence, he loses his hands” after his work was put in jeopardy by a driving ban.
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Sheffield Magistrates’ Court heard on July 14 how Constantin Stamatescu, aged 31, of Burlington Street, Upperthorpe, Sheffield, was driving an Audi VRM when he was stopped by police on Penistone Road, Sheffield.

Chantel Lowery-Green, prosecuting, said Stamatescu was stopped after midnight on March 6 after he had been seen driving slowly and swerving.

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Self-employed builder Stamatescu, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to exceeding the alcohol drink-drive limit after registering 82 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath when the legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

Sheffield Magistrates' Court, pictured, has heard how a banned drink-drive builder says losing his licence is like losing his hands.Sheffield Magistrates' Court, pictured, has heard how a banned drink-drive builder says losing his licence is like losing his hands.
Sheffield Magistrates' Court, pictured, has heard how a banned drink-drive builder says losing his licence is like losing his hands.

William Louw, defending, said: "He was in custody for 16 hours and it nearly reduced him to tears.”

Mr Louw added: “He knows he stands to lose his licence. If he ‘loses his licence, he loses his hands’, as he puts it, because he loses his job.”

Romanian national Stamatescu had been driving with a flat tyre, according to Mr Louw, which is why he had been driving slowly and he had indicated for police to drive around him but they stopped him.

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Magistrates fined Stamatescu £350 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £35 victim surcharge. He was disqualified from driving for 20 months but this ban can be reduced by 20 weeks if he completes a drink-drive rehabilitation course.