A SPEEDING drink-driver who nearly rolled a van while being followed by police was so drunk he couldn't remember the incident.

Simon Tomlinson

A SPEEDING drink-driver who nearly rolled a van while being followed by police was so drunk he couldn't remember the incident.

Nicholas Anderson raced erratically along roads from Ipswich to Holbrook late at night in a transit van.

The officer following him said Anderson was taking the “racing line” through bends as he moved from one side of the road to the other in a 30mph zone.

At one point the officer thought the 24-year-old was going to turn the van over when he clipped a verge.

When Anderson was eventually stopped in Holbrook, the officer noticed the smell of alcohol on him and saw that he was unsteady on his feet. A breath test revealed he was more than twice the legal drink-drive limit, with 89micrograms of alcohol in 100millilitres of breath.

When asked by district judge David Cooper if he could remember the incident, Anderson replied: “No.”

Anderson, of Heathfield Road, Holbrook, admitted drink-driving at South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court on Monday.

The court heard how he was driving a white Ford transit van over the 30mph speed limit along The Strand on Sunday, July 20 at about 10.30pm.

Lesla Small, prosecuting, said: “The van was taking the racing line as it entered the bends, contravening a number of solid white lines.

“The officer said Anderson clipped a verge and he thought he was going to roll, but he managed to gain control.

“He continued to speed along The Strand and was driving from one side of the road to the other before going on to the B1080 (Ipswich Road).”

Anderson was disqualified from driving for three years and placed on a community supervision order for a year.

He can reduce his ban by nine months if he completes a drink-driving rehabilitation course and he can also apply to have his licence back after two years.

A police spokeswoman today said the force was committed to bringing drink-drivers to justice.

She said: “The fact this driver was caught should serve as a warning - if you think you won't get caught, you're wrong.”

Should drink-drivers receive harsher penalties? Write to Your Letters, The Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send us an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk