Off-duty Carlisle taxi man caught drink-drivinghttps://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/1753 ... k-driving/A CARLISLE taxi driver who was caught drink-diving while off-duty has lost his licence and his job. Andrew Thompson, of Lund Crescent, Carlisle, admitted driving while above the legal limit when he appeared at the city's magistrates' court on Tuesday, March 26.
The court heard a police officer had to do an emergency stop as the defendant's Skoda Octavia taxi came toward him at about 8pm on March 10.
He was not working at the time of the incident.
Defence lawyer Paul Tweddle said: "He is keen to stress this is out of character.
"In the circumstances it is a sad case where, yes, he has put the public at risk, but he has been a public servant."
Mr Tweddle said Thompson was "struggling to cope" with a number of difficult personal circumstances. "But he knows his taxi driving career is at an end and is unlikely to be renewed," he said.
He said his client fully accepted the consequences and had made arrangements to get another job where he can get to work with a friend or by public transport.
District Judge Gerald Chalk disqualified Thompson for two years and offered him the opportunity to take a drink-driving rehabilitation course to reduce the ban.
He was ordered to complete 80 hours unpaid work within 12 months and must pay £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.
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