News
news
Share
Drunk driver blames covid when caught on motorway with two missing tyres
Published 14:40 14 Jul 2022 BST
Homenews
The drunk driver travelled more than 10 miles with two tyres missing from the vehicle
A drunk driver blamed covid-19 for causing him to drive along the M4 with two tyres missing from his van. Laurie Rosser was arrested on June 26 when he drove more than 1o miles along the M4 between junctions 46 and 47 with two tyres missing. Police stopped him shortly before 2am and found him to be twice the legal limit for driving. The 47-year-old had been driving back from a night out with friends. Swansea Magistrates' Court heard that on the journey he had two wheel "blowouts" on his Vauxhall van yet continued driving. The father-of-four told the court that covid had made his mind "cloudy," the BBC reports. He was charged with driving a vehicle while above the legal alcohol limit, with 66 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, almost twice the legal limit of 35 micrograms. [caption id="attachment_348354" align="alignnone" width="1424"]
Rosser was stopped near junction 46 of the M4 at Llangyfelach (Google Maps)[/caption]
But the court heard from the defence that Rosser had tested positive for covid the next day and that this influenced his decision to continue driving the vehicle without two tyres by clouding his judgement.
Solicitor Rhys Davies, defending, said that Rosser had only had two pints and didn't know he was over the limit.
Davies pointed out that the Highway Code states "if you can get off the motorway you should always do so," and that Rosser had been trying to drive to a place of safety after the blowouts.
Prosecutor Lucy Mansfield said the drink driving offence was made worse because of the fact Rosser had continued driving without two tyres.
He has been banned from driving for 17 months and fined £300. He must also pay £85 prosecution costs and a £120 court surcharge.
Related links:
