Drink-driver who ‘took a chance’ during trip to West Norfolk will pay more than £1,500

A drink-driver will pay more than £1,500 after “taking a chance” during a visit to West Norfolk.Asomawoma Ikelagbe, 40, appeared at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, where he pleaded guilty to the offence.The court heard that on May 26, he had been driving along Gaywood Road in town when police officers witnessed him drifting across the central white lines.

They therefore pulled him over and asked him to carry out a roadside breath test, which he failed.After being arrested and taken into custody, evidential tests revealed that Ikelagbe had 69mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath. The legal limit to drive is 35mcg.Mitigating, duty solicitor George Sorrell said that Ikelagbe – who was previously of good character – had “various problems to deal with” on the day of his offence. Ikelagbe, who lives at Muschamp Road in Carshalton, Greater London, had an “issue up here” in West Norfolk which meant he had to attend a meeting.Following that, he had a “drink or two”. “He felt alright to drive, and so he took the chance because he is not local to these parts,” Mr Sorrell said.The solicitor told the court that Ikelagbe works as a site manager and has “quite a good income”, but will likely lose his job as a result of a driving ban.He argued that there was “no indication of very bad driving” on the day of Ikelagbe’s offence. Magistrates disqualified the defendant from the roads for 17 months, but did offer him a drink-driving rehabilitation course which will reduce that term by 17 weeks if completed.Ikelagbe will also pay a £1,017 fine, £407 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs.