“Designated driver” caught three times limit

A “designated driver” who was found to be more than three times the legal drink drive limit has been banned for almost two years.

Francesca Land, 24, was arrested on the A141 at Rings End, near March, in Fenland, just before midnight on 26 January.

A police officer came across Land’s car ahead of him on the single carriageway and noticed she kept braking, despite no other vehicles being on the road ahead.

The officer witnessed her repeatedly speeding up above the speed limit, swerving across lanes and hitting the verge on a couple of occasions before pulling her over in a layby.

Land initially denied having had any alcohol but gave a reading of 129 following a breath test – more than three-and-a-half times the legal limit of 35 – resulting in her arrest.

While being taken into custody, she told officers she had “only had a few shandies” and was the “designated driver” for her and her friends.

Land, of Wooden Drive, Sunderland, was charged with drink driving which she admitted at Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court the following day (27 January) and was handed an interim driving ban.

She appeared at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court in County Durham on Monday (10 February) where she was disqualified from driving for 23 months and must renew her licence at the end of the ban.

PC James Dolan, who made the arrest, said: “Thankfully no one was injured as a result of her drink driving and I was able to intervene after being concerned about her manner of driving.

“There is no excuse – if you want to have a drink, please find alternative ways of getting home. Or if you make the decision to be the designated driver, the safest option is to not consume any alcohol at all.”

The force operates a dedicated, confidential hotline – 0800 032 0845 – which is available 24/7 and provides the public with the chance to provide information about anyone they think may be driving under the influence. Crimes in action should always be reported to police by calling 999.

Information about drink driving, the law and the penalties, can be found on our dedicated road safety information webpages.