JPs go soft for fourth d-drive offence

SERIAL drink driver Glen Tilley has been jailed for drinking eight pints before taking to the road – yet received a shorter sentence than for his previous drink driving conviction.

Tilley, 25, of Robeck Road, Ipswich, had more alcohol inside him than last time he was jailed for boozing and getting behind the wheel.

Yet his five month jail sentence is a month less than his sentence imposed in December last year.

His December court appearance resulted from clocking 88mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath – eight points lower than his latest misdemeanour.

South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court heard Tilley's offence was the fourth time he had been caught drink-driving.

He also had five previous convictions for driving without insurance and was on the road despite a four-year driving ban.

Tilley admitted being over the legal limit, driving while disqualified and having no insurance.

John Hardwick, prosecuting, said father-of-two Tilley was stopped in Kings Way, Ipswich just before 1am on September 8.

A police officer noticed he had no tax disk. Tilley smelt of alcohol, so a breath test was carried out, the court heard.

The reading was 96mg – nearly three times the legal limit.

Tilley was arrested and taken to Ipswich Police Station. Mr Hardwick said Tilley admitted in interview drinking eight pints earlier that evening.

Anthony Devine, defending, said Tilley had been working on the Ford Escort with the intention of selling it.

But instead of taking the car to a MOT centre, Tilley decided to take it for a ride to check his mechanical work.

Mr Devine told the court Tilley had children aged two and four and was expecting another baby in November.

Magistrates sentenced Tilley to five months in jail for being over the legal limit and handed him a five-month concurrent sentence for driving while disqualified. No separate penalty was imposed for driving without insurance and Tilley's four-year ban was reimposed.

n The Evening Star's Name and Shame campaign is just 12 weeks away. We vow to name every drink-driver arrested during December and January – because drinking and driving wrecks lives.