A drink-driver claimed he’d only had a single beer after a crash on the A46 in Leicester. Thomas Simms did not realise he was over the limit at the time of the collision in which his son was a passenger.
The 33-year-old had been driving along the A46 Western Bypass on Wednesday, December 11 last year when he crashed into the car in front of him. When officers from Leicestershire Police arrived, they suspected Simms of being “intoxicated”.
Simms, of Rowan Drive, Anstey, failed a roadside breathtest and was arrested before being taken to a police station. He gave a breathalyser reading of 41 microgrammes of alcohol per 100ml of breath – the legal limit is 35 microgrammes.
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Simms said the traffic stopped suddenly on the A46 near Leicester
(Image: Google)
At Leicester Magistrates’ Court on Monday (January 6), it was heard how Simms’ son was a passenger in the car at the time of the collision. Simms, who represented himself in court, claimed to have one drink on an empty stomach.
He said: “I had one beer. I went to pick my son up. I’d had no food. It was really irresponsible and I’m really sorry – I haven’t had a drink since.”
“The traffic just stopped and it happened really fast.”
Prosecutor Vishal Patel said the fact there was a child in the car was an aggravating factor in the case. He also told court that Simms had a previous conviction for drink-driving dating back to 2014.
Simms was banned from driving for 14 months and fined £650. He was also ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £260 victim surcharge.