Drink-driver disqualified for 22 months after colliding with parked vehicles in East Sussex

Police said Warren Knight drove a black Bentley Continental and collided with parked vehicles in Goldstone Street, Hove.

He then left the scene on foot, but was traced by specialist officers from the Roads Policing Unit to his home address where he had gone to sleep, Sussex Police added.

In custody, they found he was still more than twice the drink-drive limit, more than three hours after the collisions were reported, police added.

Police are highlighting the incident because it was easily preventable had Knight organised himself a taxi instead of driving while in no fit state to do so.

At Brighton Magistrates’ Court on September 21, Knight admitted driving over the prescribed limit for alcohol and has been disqualified from driving.

Sussex Police said the court was told how the incident was reported near the tunnel under the railway at the junction of Conway Street and Fonthill Road at 1.30am on July 30.

Officers traced Knight as the registered keeper of the vehicle back to his home address.

Police said He presented to officers and confirmed he was driving the vehicle at the time of the collision.

Knight, a housing property manager of Hill Drive, Hove, failed a roadside breath test, Sussex Police added.

Police said he tested positive for 85 microgrammes (uhg) of alcohol per 100 millilitres (ml) of breath while in custody. The legal limit is 35uhg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

At interview, Sussex Police said he admitted he had been drinking since lunchtime the day before, and had hoped to book a taxi home.

When he could not find one, he returned to his office to drive his own vehicle, police added.

Knight said the collision was caused by the radio or a distraction inside the car, and accepted he should not have been drinking and driving.

In court, he was disqualified from driving for 22 months, and was ordered to pay a £2,300 fine, £920 surcharge, and £85 court costs.

Speaking after the case, RPU officer PC Christine Clack said: “Knight’s actions were reckless, he was extremely lucky not to have caused serious harm to himself or anyone else on the road.

“Drink-driving is one of the main causes of people being killed or seriously injured on our roads.

“Taking steps to prevent drink-driving, such as booking a taxi or walking home are some of the easiest ways to prevent drink-driving and the risks this poses.

“Knight apologised for his behaviour, and has had to pay a high price for his poor decision to get behind the wheel that night.”