Teenager caught drink-driving and ‘drifting between lanes’ in mum’s car in Faversham
14:00, 24 November 2024
A teenager caught drink-driving in his mum’s car just months after passing his test has been banned from the road.
Police were alerted after Finlay Acaster was spotted by a member of the public driving the Nissan Qashqai erratically along Sittingbourne High Street in the early hours of May 25.
Officers caught up with the 19-year-old in Brenley Lane, Faversham, where they witnessed him “drifting between lanes” before pulling him over at about 2am.
They suspected Acaster had been drinking, but a breathalyser returned a blank reading so he was taken back to the police station for further tests.
There it was established he had 175 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of his urine - the legal limit is 107.
Acaster, who had only passed his driving test in January, was charged with drink-driving and admitted the offence when he appeared before magistrates in Margate on November 13.
The court heard the Qashqai belonged to Acaster’s mother and had been insured for him to drive.
Magistrates were told the teenager, who has no previous convictions, could not offer a defence for getting behind the wheel while over the limit.
The self-employed builder was fined £740 – a week’s wages – and banned from driving for a year.
He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £296 and £85 court costs.
The chairman of the bench told him: “You will find it difficult to get insurance after this drink-driving offence at such a young age.”
If Acaster completes a drink-driving awareness course, his ban will be reduced by three months.