TWO drink drivers who were just over the limit after being stopped by police told a court how their lives had been shattered by their lack of judgement.

TWO drink drivers who were just over the limit after being stopped by police told a court how their lives had been shattered by their lack of judgement.

Steven Page, of Stowmarket and Greg Filby, of Ardleigh, Colchester have both lost their jobs since taking the risk of driving their cars in Suffolk after consuming alcohol.

Both appeared at South East Suffolk Magistrates court and pleaded guilty to their separate charges.

Page, of Gipping Place, was charged on January 3, after drinking two to three pints and losing control of his car, crashing in to a telegraph pole on November 13.

The 31-year-old had been driving his Citroen car on the A1071 at Hintlesham at 8.45pm, with his girlfriend as a passenger, as they returned from having a meal in Ipswich.

Claire Hullock, in mitigation, said: "There was a lot of water on the road, he lost control of the car for a moment, it skidded, hit the curb and caused the car to roll."

His girlfriend suffered a facial injury, which has left her with a scar.

Miss Hullock added that he had been worried about his girlfriend's health, left the car and walked the short distance home.

He did not contact the police but officers later had a report of the over-turned car and traced Page as the owner.

He was found to have 85milligrames of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, when the legal limit is 80mg.

Page was subsequently sacked from his job as food and beverage assistant at Hintlesham Hall. However he has since managed to get an unskilled job elsewhere.

He was banned for 12 months, given a £200 fine and ordered to pay £55.

Filby had been driving his BMW in Langer Road, Felixstowe on November 15 when a policeman saw him driving at an excessive speed. He was stopped, arrested and at the police station a sample of blood was taken which recorded 88 mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood.

Prosecutor David Taylor said: "It was only just over the limit but an offence none the less."

Claire Hullock, mitigating, said that the Direct Choice salesman had had two bottles of lager but did not think he was over the limit.

As a result of Filby's drink driving the 27-year-old has lost his job and his life has dramatically changed.

Miss Hullock said: "He thinks that what he will do in the next year is enter college at Colchester Institute and take a plumbing course.

"He has no income and no savings," she added.

Filby lives with his dad, but he is about to move to America, leaving his son homeless. The option of joining his dad in America has also been made difficult because he now has a conviction.

Filby was banned from driving for 12 months, fined £200 and ordered to pay £55 court costs.

Thomas Donohue, 22 of Red House Close, Trimley St Martin, was convicted of drink driving after pleading guilty for the offence committed on December 19.

Donohue had been stopped by police near his home after they saw him pulling out from a nearby pub. A breath test had shown he had 49 microgrammes of alcohol in 100mls of breath, the legal limit being 35mcgs. He was sentenced yesterday and was disqualified from driving for 12 months and fined £180.

Neil Daley, a student from Willsden, London, pleaded guilty to drink driving on New Year's day at Copdock.

Daley, 21, had been driving his Volkswagen Golf with no insurance in the early hours of the morning. He was stopped in a routine stop check and a test showed that he had 43 mcgs of alcohol in 100 mls of breath, just over the legal limit.

He was banned from driving for 12 months, fined £150 and ordered to pay £55 court costs.

Brian Doyle, 55, of Grange Road, Felixstowe, was charged with drink driving on January 2. His case was adjourned to January 22 in his absence.