172 motorists arrested so far in police Christmas crackdown

A total of 172 motorists have been arrested as part of Surrey and Sussex Police's Christmas crackdown on drink and drug-drivers which runs until January 1.
Police have been targeting drink and drug driversPolice have been targeting drink and drug drivers
Police have been targeting drink and drug drivers

A further seven people have been convicted in court in the past few days, bringing the number of convictions so far this month to 23.

Sussex Police say that among the latest convictions was chef Gary Kersley.

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He admitted he intentionally drove having consumed alcohol, before he crashed his Volkswagen Golf into a Toyota in Brooklands Way, East Grinstead.

This caused him to further collide with a parked Audi at about 12.50am on December 9.

Police say they arrived at the scene and noticed Kersley was unsteady on his feet. A roadside breath test was carried out, which he failed – he was more than three times the legal drink-driving limit.

He was subsequently arrested and charged with driving with 108mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system and driving with no insurance.

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In police interview, Kersley, 37, of Queens Road, East Grinstead, confessed: “I wouldn’t say I was drunk but I was over the limit.”

At Crawley Magistrates’ Court yesterday (December 28), he was disqualified from driving for 25 months and sentenced to a 12 month community order. He was also ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, and pay a £480 fine, £85 costs and a £85 victim surcharge.

A police statement says that other convictions were:

Paul Smith, 53, unemployed, of Medway, Crowborough, was arrested in Mill Lane, Crowborough, on December 5 and charged with driving with 59mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system.

At Brighton Magistrates’ Court on December 21, he was disqualified from driving for 16 months. He was also ordered to pay a £120 fine, £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

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Adam Clarke, 31, a scaffolder, of The Dell, East Grinstead, was arrested in King Street, East Grinstead, on December 6 and charged with driving with 41mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system.

At Crawley Magistrates’ Court on December 21, he was disqualified from driving for 24 months and sentenced to a 12-month community order. He was also ordered to carry out 75 hours of unpaid work, and pay £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Graeme Hopkins, 40, army personnel, of High View Way, Southampton, was arrested in Worth Road, Crawley, on December 8 and charged with being in charge of a vehicle with 114mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system.

At Crawley Magistrates’ Court on December 22, he had his driving licence endorsed with 10 penalty points. He was also ordered to pay a £542 fine, £85 costs and a £54 victim surcharge.

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Brandon Taylor, 19, a window cleaner, of The Kiln, Burgess Hill, was arrested in Tylers Green, Uckfield, on December 9 and charged with driving with 46mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system.

At Crawley Magistrates’ Court on December 28, he was disqualified from driving for 12 months. He was also ordered to pay a £120 fine, £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Alexandru Rotaru, 40, a fast food employee, of Broadlands, Horley, Surrey, was arrested on the A23 at Gatwick on December 10 and charged with driving with 101mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system.

At Crawley Magistrates’ Court on December 28, he was disqualified from driving for 44 months and sentenced to a 12 month community order. He was also ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, and pay £85 costs and a £85 victim surcharge.

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Paul Macken, 54, a manager, of Horney Common, Uckfield, was arrested on the A22 at Nutley on December 11 and charged with driving with 71mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system.

At Hastings Magistrates’ Court on December 28, he was disqualified from driving for 17 months. He was also ordered to pay a £620 fine, £85 costs and a £62 victim surcharge.

People in Sussex can text officers on 65999 with the details of people they suspect of drink or drug-driving, or visit the Operation Crackdown website.

You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or report it online.

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