Driver who tested three times over drink limit hit lorry and assaulted officer

A suspected drink-driver didn’t stop after colliding with a lorry on an A16 roundabout, a court heard.

And when police pulled over the vehicle, driver Harry Dye (34) assaulted an officer as he was being
arrested.

A member of the public had dialled 999 as she followed Dye from Spalding to Sutterton on January
23, witnessing near misses with oncoming traffic and the Vauxhall Astra clipping a crash barrier and
traffic islands.

“She noticed that it didn’t seem to faze the driver,” prosecutor Shelley Wilson told Boston
Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

The collision with a Morrisons lorry was at Sutterton roundabout.

“The car driver drove around the lorry and continued towards Sleaford on the A17,” Miss Wilson
added.

The female witness stopped and gave her details to the lorry driver.

“A few minutes later, as she left the Bicker Bar roundabout she noticed the same red Astra,” added
the prosecutor.

The witness called police again and the car was stopped on the A52 near Boston.

Dye blew almost three times the alcohol limit in a roadside test.

As he was arrested, he wanted to say goodbye to a “young female” in the car and kicked the
arresting officer’s body armour.

Then at the police station, he stepped on the officer’s feet and refused to give an evidential breath
sample.

Dye, of Stonegate, Spalding, pleaded guilty to failing to provide a sample, failing to stop after an
accident and assaulting an emergency worker.

Beris Brickles, mitigating, said his client had been out of trouble for many years but had had a drink
problem for eight months after a relationship breakdown.

“This is someone who is crying out for some help, certainly with alcohol,” he added. “He’s a
bricklayer but had to finish work two months ago due to the alcohol.”

Dye was banned from driving for 30 months, which can be cut with completion of a drink-driver
rehabilitation course.

He was also given a community order with requirements of 20 rehabilitation activity days and six-
month alcohol treatment programme.

A £120 fine and £100 compensation to the police officer were also imposed.