King’s Lynn Drink-driver Gareth Sullivan hit with hefty fine and two-year ban after seen ‘swerving all over the road’ by off-duty police officer

An off-duty police officer spotted a drink-driver breaking “erratically” and swerving “all over the road”.

Gareth Sullivan, 27, of Bankside in West Lynn, had been drinking before getting behind the wheel November 5 and the court heard that he “hadn’t planned” to get behind the wheel that evening.

He appeared at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, where he admitted driving above the specified alcohol limit.

Prosecutor Jessica Neequaye told the court that the off-duty police officer first noticed Sullivan’s driving at 8.13pm when travelling behind him on the A149 Dersingham bypass.

Sullivan, an electrical engineer, was driving a Mini Cooper and was swerving “all over the road” and was “breaking erratically”.

The off-duty police officer contacted the control room and more officers arrived to pull him over.

A breath test came back positive and Sullivan was arrested and taken to Lynn’s Police Investigation Centre for questioning.

Further tests revealed that Sullivan had 103mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath. The legal limit to drive 35mcg.

In mitigation, Charlotte Winchester said that Sullivan had no intention of driving that evening.

“He had an argument with his girlfriend. To avoid any further escalation, he decided to leave,” the solicitor said.

“This decision to drive was a mistake, he is very sorry for that,” Ms Winchester added.

Sullivan was hit with a hefty fine of £1,134 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £454 and court costs of £85.

He was also disqualified from driving for 24 months.