Disqualified driver found drunk at the wheel jailed in Essex
The 42 year old was almost four times over the legal alcohol limit
A disqualified driver has been jailed after being found slumped at the wheel of his car on a busy Essex road while almost four times over the legal alcohol limit.
Police officers spotted the stationary white Mercedes on the A13 at Grays shortly before 11:30pm on 20th April.
Although traffic lights ahead were green, the car was stopped in lane two, causing other drivers to swerve to avoid it.
Officers discovered the driver, 42-year-old Tomololu Oyeniku from Watford, Hertfordshire, slumped over the steering wheel with the car engine running and brake lights illuminated.
After detecting a strong smell of alcohol, the officers conducted a roadside breath test which showed Oyeniku was three-and-a-half times over the legal limit.
Oyeniku was arrested and remanded in custody, later appearing at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on 21st April.
He pleaded guilty to drink driving, driving whilst disqualified, and driving without insurance.
Oyeniku had previously been disqualified from driving on 17th April for drink driving and received a 12-week suspended prison sentence.
Due to breaching this suspended sentence and committing further offences, he was sentenced to 29 weeks in prison and disqualified from driving for a total of 64 months.
PC Lauren Rodgers stated the dangers of driving under the influence.
“Driving while under the influence of alcohol, particularly at such high levels, puts other road users and pedestrians at serious risk, with potentially fatal consequences."
She highlighted the effects of alcohol on driving abilities, saying, “Alcohol seriously impairs judgement, reaction times and coordination. Drivers under the influence are far less able to respond to hazards, maintain control of their vehicle or make safe decisions, significantly increasing the risk of serious collisions."
Rodgers stressed the importance of Essex Police's zero-tolerance approach: “Officers will arrest drivers suspected of being over the limit, remove dangerous drivers from the road and work closely with the courts to ensure offenders are held to account."