Drink-driver initially booked taxi home after evening of drinking with friends

A 24-year-old who had been drinking and booked a taxi ended up driving himself home.The taxi driver called the police about Harry Kirk, who had exited the vehicle to obtain his house keys from his own car.However, once getting into the Ford Ranger, Kirk decided that he felt okay to drive, which ended up with him being arrested for drink-driving.

Kirk admitted the offence at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, with prosecutor Abdul Khan telling the court that the police were called on the evening of February 2 to reports of a drink-driver leaving the Tuesday Market Place in Lynn.Kirk was found by police driving on Wisbech Road and was pulled over. A breath test came back positive for alcohol and he was arrested.He gave a reading of 77mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath. The legal limit to drive is 35mcg. In mitigation, David Foulkes told the court that Kirk, of Smeeth Road in Marshland St James, had been out drinking with friends in Lynn that evening.Mr Foulkes explained that Kirk had booked a taxi home, but had realised once getting in the vehicle he had left his house keys in his own car and went back to retrieve them. However, Kirk then made the decision to drive himself home.Mr Foulkes said that Kirk, who works for his parents’ business, will no longer be able to carry out duties such as travelling out to customers.“Things have come crashing down for him since he made this foolish decision,” the solicitor said. “In other circumstances, he would have lost his job, but his family see his hard work as worth investing in. He will have to go into the admin side of things while he serves his driving disqualification.”Mr Foulkes described Kirk as a “young man who had a thriving career”.Kirk was disqualified from driving for 18 months.He was also fined £650 along with a victim surcharge of £260 and court costs of £85.Magistrate William Hush said: “You are a lucky young man. A very foolish mistake, you made the right decision to get a taxi home in the first place.”