Ban for drink driver who ‘did not want to wait for taxi’

A drink driver who chose to drive instead of waiting an hour for a taxi, that would accept his dog, has been banned from driving for 18 months.

Barry Fairservice, of Burwell Road, Eaton Ford, attempted to drive his white Mercedes to his home after drinking on the evening of February 21.

Cambridge Magistrates’ Court heard that police were informed by staff at the Pig and Falcon, in New Street, that Fairservice, 61, may try to drive after he was asked by staff to take his dog out of the pub.

Prosecutor Paul Brown told the court: “At about 11.30pm Mr Fairservice got into his car and drove away from the pub. Police then saw him and followed him which caused him to stop.”

Fairservice was found to have 76 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit is 35. At court, Fairservice pleaded guilty to drink driving.

In mitigation, David Potter, told the court that Fairservice was not intending to drive home but did not want to wait for a taxi.

He said: “Mr Fairservice had taken his dog to the car earlier in the evening. When he was due to go home he went to get his umbrella out of the car so he could walk home and found it wasn’t there.

“He then called some taxi companies to find out if any would accept his dog in their taxi but there was only one who would be over an hour, so Mr Fairservice decided to make the foolish decision to drive.”

At sentencing he was ordered to pay a fine of £440, victim’s surcharge of £44 and £85 court costs and banned from the roads for 18 months.

Fairservice was also told to complete a drink drive course before March 4 next year to reduce his ban by 18 weeks.