‘Loud bang’ heard after drink-driver crashed into pavement metres from town college

A Lynn resident who heard a loud bang from outside her house discovered a drink-driver had crashed into the pavement – metres away from the town’s college.

That driver was 45-year-old Adam Elden, of Folly Grove in Lynn. He appeared at the town’s magistrates’ court on Thursday, where he pleaded guilty to driving above the specified alcohol limit.

On August 31, the witness on Tennyson Avenue heard a loud noise and screeching sounds, and stepped outside to see what had happened.

They saw a white Range Rover had crashed into the pavement, which was roughly 50 metres away from the College of West Anglia building.

The witness checked to see if Elden was okay, and noticed there was a lot of damage done to the front of the vehicle – which also had a flat tyre.

Elden tried to start the vehicle up again, but it would not turn on. The witness suspected that he was drunk as he was stumbling, so asked one of their neighbours to call the police.

On arrival, officers found a pack of 18 beer cans in the Range Rover, with one open.

He was ordered to do a breath test, which came back with a reading of 162mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath. The legal limit to drive is 35mcg.

The high reading means that Elden is at risk of being handed a prison sentence by magistrates.

He was also disqualified from driving in March 2020 after drink-driving, meaning this increases his risk of a prison sentence further.

However, the bench – led by Ginny Hutton – decided that Elden should be sent for a pre-sentence report to be carried out by probation services he learns his fate.

In mitigation, Andrew Cogan said that Elden was trying to avoid hitting an animal in the road, which caused him to collide with the pavement.

“There was quite a lot of damage to the front of the vehicle,” said Mr Cogan.

“He has no experience whatsoever of custody.”

The case has been adjourned, and Elden will return to court on January 24.