Sutton Bridge learner driver had drunk five pints

A Sutton Bridge teenager was caught drink-driving just three hours into 2019.

Rokas Freitakas was a provisional licence holder and not with a qualified driver when he was stopped.

He and a friend were in a Ford Fiesta owned by the friend’s stepdad, who had not given them permission to take it, King’s Lynn magistrates heard on Monday (January 21).

Prosecuting, Jane Walker said police spotted the car without any lights on in Railway Road, Lynn, at 3am on New Year’s Day. It was stopped in Austin Fields car park.

Freitakas (18) failed a roadside breath test and was arrested.

He later blew 76 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath; the legal limit is 35.

He told police that he had driven to Kudos nightclub and had not drunk there but had earlier had five pints.

“He said he hadn’t felt drunk but a tip tipsy. He was four or five on a scale of one to ten” said Miss Walker.

Freitakas, Bridge Road, pleaded guilty to drink-driving, having no insurance, driving otherwise than in accordance with his licence and taking a vehicle without consent.

Mitigating, his solicitor said the pair couldn’t get a taxi because they hadn’t booked and had decided to take the car.

“He would have been putting in an application to have a [driving] test which he won’t be doing now,” she added.

For drink-driving, Freitakas, a college student who works part-time at the Princes factory in Long Sutton, was banned for 20 months, which can be reduced with successful completion of a drink-drive rehabilitation course and fined £150.

For taking a vehicle without consent he was fined £175 and there were no separate penalties for the other two offences but his licence will be endorsed for each.

He was told to pay £85 costs and £30 victim surcharge.