‘Hardworking family man’ caught drink-driving while swerving in road

A man who was pulled over by police after swerving was found out to be more than three times the drink-drive limit.

Imants Locmelis, 44, of Post Mill, Lynn, appeared at the town’s magistrates’ court last Thursday where he admitted to the offence of driving above the specified alcohol limit.

Prosecutor Nicola Lamb told the court that police spotted Locmelis on February 18 swerving in his Honda Civic on Gayton Road.

Police pulled him over and a roadside breathalyser test was carried out which gave a reading of 148mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath, the legal limit is 35mcg.

Mitigating was Alison Muir, who said that Locmelis had a “rare weekend to himself” and drank the night before.

“This is so out of character for this hardworking family man,” she said.

“He had a rare weekend to himself at home and was relaxing, woke up and went to the supermarket to get something to eat.”

She explained that Locmelis drove to Tesco Gaywood, but chair of the magistrates John Hare asked what the distance was from Locmelis’ home address to the supermarket.

Locmelis confessed that the supermarket is “about a kilometre” away and it was agreed that the journey could have been walkable.

“That reading is a very high reading, we don’t often see that in court,” said Mr Hare.

Locmelis was assessed by the probation service so that magistrates could decide on an appropriate punishment.

Due to Locmelis being the main income provider for his family with young children, magistrates decided to not give him a prison sentence.

Mr Hare said: “You are not going to prison today.”

Locmelis was disqualified from driving for 36 months and a 12-month suspended sentence order was activated.

He was also ordered to wear an alcohol tag for 120 dayd, pay a victim surcharge fee of £154 and court costs of £105.

“We know it’s been a difficult day for you,” Mr Hare concluded.