Motorist is caught drink-driving after he failed to turn his headlights on

Sheffield Magistrates’ Court heard how Martin Oates, aged 31, of Hastilar Road South, Sheffield, was seen by police driving a Vauxhall Zafira on Harborough Road, Sheffield, without his headlights switched on and he was followed and stopped.

Prosecuting solicitor Emily King said: “At just after midnight on November 30 officers were on patrol and identified the defendant driving a vehicle which had no headlights on and they followed the vehicle for a short time and caused him to stop and he identified himself, and he said he had drunk a couple of cans of beer in the last 20 minutes.”

Police checks were made which revealed Oates only held a provisional licence, according to Miss King, and the defendant failed a roadside drink-drive breath test.

He later registered 74 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath during an evidential drink-drive breath test when the legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

Oates, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to exceeding the alcohol drink-drive limit and to driving a vehicle otherwise than in accordance with a licence after the incident on November 30.

Magistrates fined Oates £300 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £32 victim surcharge.

Oates was also disqualified from driving for 20 months but this ban can be reduced if he completes a drink-drive rehabilitation course.