Drunk taxi driver crashed into parked car while off work

A drunk taxi driver initially denied crashing into a Downham resident’s parked car, despite there being significant damage to both vehicles.However, Mindaugas Tabokaitis, of Morston Drift in South Lynn, appeared at the town’s magistrates court on Thursday, where he admitted driving above the specified alcohol limit.Prosecutor Collette Harper told the court that on December 22 last year, a member of the public heard their car alarm going off outside their address on Bennett Street in Downham.

They went outside to see what was going on and saw a Skoda, with Tabokaitis in the driver’s seat, parked across the road.The resident saw that his BMW had a dent in it, and the Skoda had a scuff on the side.Tabokaitis had initially denied causing the damage when approached by the BMW owner but then offered him £500 to fix the dent. They declined Tabokaitis’ offer and, after the police were called to the scene, a roadside breath test was conducted which returned a positive result for alcohol and he was arrested.He was taken to Lynn’s Police Investigation Centre for questioning and a further test returned a reading of 83mcg of alcohol per 100ml of Tabokaitis’ breath. The legal limit to drive is 35mcg. In mitigation, Tabokaitis’ solicitor told the court that his client was a taxi driver, but was not working at the time that the offence was committed. However, he was driving the vehicle he used for work.He said that Tabokaitis had driven to Downham to visit a friend and that they had been drinking.Tabokaitis’ solicitor said: “There are no excuses for his offence. He had been drinking with friends. Due to poor judgement, he decided to drive home. He learnt the hard way that this was a bad decision to make.” The court heard that Tabokaitis is no longer a taxi driver and has since found alternative work.Tabokaitis was disqualified from driving for 21 months and was fined £461.He will also pay a victim surcharge of £184 and £85 in court costs.