Drink-drive grandad almost hit police

Simon Tomlinson

DRINK-driving grandad Ventura Pilo Bem nearly smashed into a police car while driving at more than three times the legal limit.

It is the second time the boozed up factory worker has been banned from the road after being caught drink driving four years ago.

On the most recent occasion the police car was forced to swerve out of the 52-year-old's way after he took to the wheel following a drink to celebrate the birth if his grandchild.

He was approaching a roundabout near the police station in Civic Drive when he changed lanes, forcing a police car to take action to avoid him.

Speaking through an interpreter, Pilo Bem, of Abingdon Close, Ipswich, pleaded guilty to drink-driving and driving without a licence at South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court.

Prosecutor Lesla Small said: “Officers saw Pilo Bem change lanes at the roundabout by the police station and had to take evasive action to avoid a collision.

“When they stopped him they noticed a smell of liquor in the car.”

Pilo Bem was found to have 116 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.

Ian Duckworth, mitigating, said Pilo Bem had been drinking with a friend at a bar in Norwich Road before taking to the road.

He added that Portugese national Pilo Bem had lived in the country for six years with his wife. Both of them are factory workers.

Ann Parry, chairman of the magistrates, disqualified Pilo Bem from driving and called for further reports to be complied before he is sentenced fully on November 6.

Mrs Parry said: “The aggravating features are that you had a previous similar conviction in 2004, there was a very high reading in your breath and at the time of the incident the police had to swerve as there could have been an accident.”

- Should repeat drink-drive offenders be punished more severely? 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.