Drunken moped rider spared jail

A TEENAGER has been spared prison after being caught by police drunk while straddling a moped.

Benjamin Powell, 19, was caught by police as he attempted to start the moped he had bought the day before for £50.

He admitted to South East Suffolk Magistrates Court that he had consumed a couple of cans of Stella lager before getting onto the bike.

Neil Macaulay, prosecuting, said: "Police officers said they saw a male person on a Honda moped with his feet either side of it pushing it along the road. He appeared to be attempting to start it.

"The moped was in a very bad condition and looked like it had been hot-wired."

A breath test showed Powell had 43mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath. The legal limit is 35mcgs.

He pleaded guilty to charges of driving a motor vehicle above the legal alcohol limit and other charges of driving while disqualified and without insurance on January 17.

Michael Stephens, mitigating, said: "Somebody who drove while disqualified and drove with excess alcohol in their body should assume they will get a custodial sentence. But this was a stupid mistake, which is typical of the kind of thing this man gets himself involved in.

"What he was doing was wrong. It was irresponsible and shows he hadn't thought about his actions."

Mr Stephens told the court on Tuesday how Powell, of The Walk, Felixstowe, was trying to move the moped after his girlfriend had damaged it and did not realise it was illegal to do so when drunk.

Powell, who works as a kitchen porter in a hotel, was disqualified from driving for a further 12 months, given a curfew order for three months and a community punishment order for 80 hours of work over 12 months.

Peter Page, presiding magistrate, said: "You have told us you are going to turn over a new leaf and this is your opportunity to do so.

"Make a success of these orders or you will face jail next time."