Man ‘made a mistake’ by drink-driving after night out with friends

A drink-driver who “made a mistake” has been disqualified for more than a year.Jason Scamell, 26, of Wootton Road in Gayton, appeared at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, where he admitted the offence.Prosecutor Asif Akram said that Scamell was seen by police in the early hours of March 30 speeding and swerving across Gayton Road in Lynn.

After being pulled over, a roadside breath test was conducted, showing Scamell had 70mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath. The legal limit to drive is 35mcg.In mitigation, duty solicitor Tiffany Meredith said Scamell struggled to accept that his car was swerving as the vehicle he was driving had built-in road guidance.She said it was the middle of the night, with very few vehicles around. The court heard that passengers in the car were his two friends, who he had been out with in town. He had “two pints” and was driving to his friend’s house.Ms Meredith said he “did not feel impaired at the time” of the incident. She also said that Scamell admitted it was poor judgment and should have stopped drinking after one pint.This was “very much out of character”, she said, and Scamell “has had no dealings with the police before”.She added: “He is a good person who has made a mistake.” Magistrates banned Scamell from driving for a period of 17 months.He was also ordered to pay a £165 fine, £66 victim surcharge, and £40 in court costs.