Drink-driver jumped fences to evade police

A Spalding drink-driver bounded over three garden fences to evade police moving in to arrest him.

Levi Matthews (29) said “I’m off” and pushed past an officer to hot-foot it from the scene.

He had been traced to Ros Knight Gardens in Crowland after driving away from the scene of an argument in Balmoral Way, Holbeach.

He was twice the alcohol limit and had a female passenger and two young children in the Vauxhall Corsa.
Matthews had failed to attend Boston Magistrates’ Court on May 3 when the case was first listed.

An arrest warrant was issued and he surrendered himself to the court on Wednesday.

He pleaded guilty to drink-driving, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence and having no insurance on April 15. He also admitted a bail offence.

The Holbeach disturbance happened at around 1am and Matthews’ Corsa was spotted in Crowland almost an hour later.

After his run to avoid being arrested, he was located at a property at 2.30am.

In custody he blew 76 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath; the legal limit being 35.

Matthews, of Balmoral Avenue, had a previous conviction for drink-driving in 2019.

In mitigation, the defendant said he had supposed to be sleeping at the Holbeach address but left
after an argument.

“It’s not acceptable what I’ve done,” he added. “I’m sorry for the offences I’ve committed.”

The groundworker said he’d missed the first court appearance due to being hospitalised by an assault the previous night.

He was disqualified from driving for 40 months, which can be cut with completion of a drink-driver rehabilitation course.

He was also fined £500 and ordered to pay £200 victim surcharge and £85 costs.