Rye motorcyclist banned for drink-driving

Bradley Millar, 34, of Cooper Road, was arrested at 2.40am on June 7 after he was seen swerving on his motorcycle in South Undercliff, Rye.

He had 89 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of his breath – more than twice the 35 microgrammes legal limit.

Millar pleaded guilty to drink driving at Hastings Magistrates’ Court on June 24 and was banned from driving for 20 months, fined £110, ordered to pay £190 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

Millar’s sentencing details were released as part of Sussex Police’s ongoing Operation Dragonfly.

Today’s release also included a 50-year-old motorist who was so drunk he did not realise he was on the wrong side of the road – despite seeing a police patrol car driving towards him.

Officers driving along Columbia Drive in Worthing came bumper to bumper with the Vauxhall Astra of Angus McKenzie at 7pm on June 7.

When they put on the blue lights of their patrol car McKenzie stopped in front of them.

He seemed surprised to be told he was on the wrong side of the road, even though the sides of the carriageway are separated by a wide grassed central reservation.

He had 107 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of his breath – more than three times the legal limit.

McKenzie, of Normandy Drive, East Preston, pleaded guilty to drink-driving when he appeared at Worthing Magistrates’ Court on June 25.

He was banned from driving for 23 months, ordered to do 80 hours of community service and told to pay £235 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

“The fact that McKenzie did not realise he was on the wrong side of the road tells you all you need to know about whether he was fit to drive,” Chief Inspector Phil Nicholas, of Sussex and Surrey roads policing unit, said.

“It is fortunate that it was a police patrol that found him – if someone had turned out of a side road into McKenzie’s path there could have been a serious accident.

“If you see someone who you think could be drink or drug-driving please call us urgently. It could prevent someone being killed or seriously injured.”

A total of 35 people have so far been convicted of offences as part of Operation Dragonfly – a campaign to tackle drink and drug driving in the county.

Susan Venturi, 60, was arrested at 12.55pm on June 7 after officers saw her sitting in her Ford Mondeo with the engine running in Station Road, Billingshurst, and suspected she could be drunk.

She had 95 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of her breath – almost three times the legal limit.

Venturi, of Cranham Avenue, Billingshurst, pleaded guilty to being drunk in charge of a vehicle when she appeared at Worthing Magistrates’ Court on June 25.

She was given 10 points on her licence, fined £690 and ordered to pay £235 costs and a £69 victim surcharge.

Morris Viney, 86, was arrested at 7.50pm on June 8 in Church Lane, Ripe, after he was seen leaving the Yew Tree pub in Chalvington, getting into his Renault Clio and driving off.

He admitted to officers that he had been drinking red wine and was found to have 40 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of his breath.

Viney, of Rose Grove, Golden Cross, pleaded guilty to drink-driving when he appeared at Hastings Magistrates’ Court on June 24.

He was banned from driving for 12 months, fined £50 and ordered to pay £235 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

Margo Williamson, 53, was arrested at 8.35pm on June 11 in York Place, Brighton, after her Fiat 500 was stopped because officers were tipped off that she was drink-driving.

She had 72 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of her breath - more than double the legal limit.

Williamson, of Mill Road, Burgess Hill, pleaded guilty to drink-driving when she appeared at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on June 29.

She was banned from driving for 20 months, fined £110 and ordered to pay £235 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

Luke Wood, 23, was arrested at 5.15am on June 14 after he was stopped in Grand Parade, Brighton, because one of the lights on his Vauxhall Bora was not working and he was driving erratically.

He had 43 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of his breath.

Wood, of Shelldale Crescent, Portslade, pleaded guilty to drink-driving when he appeared at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on June 29.

He was banned from driving for 12 months, fined £250 and ordered to pay £235 costs and a £25 victim surcharge.

People in Sussex can text officers on 65999 with the details of people they suspect of drink or drug driving or visit www.operationcrackdown.co.uk.

You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

To keep up to date with officers looking for drink or drug drivers, follow #opdragonfly on Twitter.

If you know someone is driving while over the limit or after taking drugs call 999.

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1) Make our website your homepage at www.ryeandbattleobserver.co.uk/

2) Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/RyeandBattleObserver

3) Follow us on Twitter Text to display

4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!

The Rye and Battle Observer - always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.