Northampton 43-year-old banned from driving after failing breath tests twice
Yaw Offa was arrested during Northamptonshire Police winter campaign
A 43-year-old man from Northampton has been banned from driving for more than two years after being caught drink-driving twice during a winter campaign by Northamptonshire Police.
Yaw Offa, who lives on Drovers Walk, was first arrested at about 12.15am on 28th December after officers saw his blue Nissan Qashqai swerving and speeding erratically on Weedon Road.
After pulling over at the Millway junction, Offa was found to be unsteady on his feet and failed a roadside breath test.
In custody, he provided an evidential reading of 114 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, over three times the legal limit of 35 micrograms.
Despite being bailed to appear in court on 12th January, Offa was caught again on 1st January when an officer noticed his car, with a defective headlight, on Barrack Road.
After failing another roadside test, he was charged a second time and provided an evidential reading of 82 micrograms.
Offa pleaded guilty to both charges at Northampton Magistrates’ Court and was handed a 26-month driving ban.
In addition to the ban, he was given a community order with requirements for rehabilitation, alcohol abstinence, and 100 hours of unpaid work.
Offa was also ordered to pay £85 in court costs and a £114 victim surcharge.
Detective Chief Inspector Shelley Nichols, who led the winter campaign, expressed concern over Offa's actions, saying: "Yaw Offa had already been charged after providing an evidential sample which was more than three times over the legal limit."
"So, to continue to get behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol not only showed a real contempt for the authorities but was also selfish, dangerous, and irresponsible as he put himself and other innocent road users at risk."
Police highlight drink and drug driving as a leading cause of road accidents, one of the "fatal five" driving offences alongside careless driving, not wearing a seatbelt, speeding, and phone use behind the wheel.
During December and early January, police joined the nationwide Operation Limit campaign, resulting in 110 arrests on county roads.