Man in King’s Lynn court sentenced after drink-driving in Emneth fined more than £1,500

A man has been fined more than £1,500 after police found him in the driver’s seat of his car while drunk.

Thomas Quine, 38, appeared at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, where he pleaded guilty to drink driving.

He committed the offence on November 16 in a Ford Transit Connect along Outwell Road near Emneth.

Prosecutor Colette Harper said that police saw Quine in his vehicle when they arrived at the scene of a crash on Outwell Road.

Police carried out roadside breath tests on both men involved in the crash and found that one was negative, but Quine was positive. He was then arrested and taken to Lynn's Police Investigation Centre.

A reading of 90mcg of alcohol per 100 ml breath was taken, the legal limit to drive being 35mcg.

In his police interview, he admitted to being over the alcohol limit. He has three previous offences to his name, the most recent being a drink drive in 2019.

Quine’s solicitor said he went all of Christmas and new year “without a drink”.

"This will affect his life, he works for himself and will now lose his job.

"He also employs an apprentice, who he will also now have to let go unless the apprentice gets a driver's licence.

"I want to reiterate his remorse, I would urge you to keep the disqualification to the lowest amount.

"This has taught him a lesson."

Magistrates, led by Terrance Geater, fined Quine – of Victoria Road in Wisbech £1,000 for drink-driving.

He will also pay legal costs of £105 and a £400 victim surcharge, taking his total amount due to £1,505.

He was then disqualified from driving for 40 months.