Taxi Driver Online

Taxi drivers tip off police about Bembridge drink-driver

TWO taxi driver tip offs helped police catch a Bembridge drink-driver almost four times over the limit.

Kelvin Parker, of Sandown Road, appeared before Isle of Wight magistrates on Friday.

The 30-year-old admitted drink driving, driving while disqualified, and driving without insurance, in Lake, on January 22.

Prosecutor, Liz Miller, told the court police received a call from two taxi drivers at approximately 9.30pm.

She said they had reported a Mercedes being driven erratically through Sandown.

The second caller followed the vehicle and gave police its registration number, revealing the van belonged to Parker's employer.

Ms Miller said Parker almost lost control going around a bend, then reversed the vehicle into a parked car.

She said he later left the vehicle and went into an address, which was revealed to be his ex-partner's, who also phoned the police.

Parker soon left the address, returning to the van and attempting to start it.

Ms Miller said, when police arrived at the scene, Parker had walked off, and was later located and breathalysed.

Parker registered a breath-alcohol reading of 139, when the legal limit is 35.

A probation report, read out in court, revealed how Parker had been trying to address his alcohol problem and get his life back on track.

Jim Osborne, defending, said Parker had long had problems with alcohol and understood he was now in the 'last chance saloon'.

He said Parker was determined to get himself back on track, get back working and get back in touch with his children.

Parker was given a 20-week prison term, suspended for 18 months, to include a nine-month alcohol treatment programme and 20 rehabilitation days.

He was disqualified from driving for 52 months, and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a £128 surcharge.

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IDFIMH

I’ve reported two in the past. One was a passenger who was adamant she was driving home from her friends house when I dropped her off. She fell into the cab first of all and then staggered out of it. She went straight to her car and drove off, I called the police and followed her until she joined the motorway (about 3 miles away, back towards where we’d just traveled from) the call handler had a car heading towards her and one on route to her home address.
The second one was just before Christmas this year, he sailed straight through a red light from a motorway junction and then hit the kerb twice. I was just about to call the police when one appeared at the next set of lights, I flagged him down and he followed him until he hit the next kerb! I dropped my passenger off about a mile away and on my way back he was on the side of the road in cuffs.
I’ve got no sympathy for anyone who drink/drug drives. It’s the likes of us they kill and walkway with no injuries and maybe three or four years in jail after remission.

I did it once and the police insisted on asking me about a hundred questions about me first so gave up and left it never done it again

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Thank the Lord we have people out there that don't share your sense of public duty.

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IDFIMH