Drink driver banned after crashing into telegraph pole near Leamington - causing part of it to land on another car

A drink driver who crashed into a telegraph pole near Leamington, causing part of it to land on another car, has been convicted.

Thirty-four year old John McClaren from Thamesmead, London, was arrested at 11pm on December 7 when he lost control of his car and collided with a telegraph pole, snapping it in half, causing the cables to drop onto the road on Ufton Road near Harbury.

Warwickshire Police said: "Part of the pole also hit another motorist’s vehicle causing damage. He was located nearby and admitted being the driver. He was arrested on suspicion of drink driving after he failed a roadside breath test and was later charged."

At Leamington Magistrates Court on Friday January 26, McClaren was banned from driving for 20 months, fined £484 and ordered to pay £135 costs and £194 victim surcharge.

He was one of five people of the 95 people arrested by Warwickshire Police on suspicion of drink or drug driving offences over the Christmas and New Year period that have recently appeared at Leamington Magistrates Court.

Another of those appearing in court was 37-year-old Emma Biddle from Keir Close, Leamington, who was disqualified from driving for 20 months for drink driving. She was also fined £175 and ordered to pay £135 costs and £70 victim surcharge.

She was arrested at about 8.40pm on December 8 on suspicion of drink driving in Lillington Avenue, Leamington, after she was involved in a collision with a parked car. She was detained at the location by a member of the public who identified her to police. She failed a roadside breath test and was later charged.

Sergeant Simon Dalby said “These sentenced drivers were in no fit state to drive and should not have got behind a wheel. Some were involved in collisions and we are very grateful to the CCTV operators and members of the public who intervened to prevent them from causing further potential harm to themselves, innocent members of the public and people’s property.

“Good drivers would never drink or take drugs and drive and those drivers that do stand a high chance of being caught because as well as the police, the public do not want them on the roads and will call the police to report them."