COUNTY NEWS: '˜I should have had a bigger burger' drink-driver tells police after crash

A drink-driver who crashed his car on the M23 claimed he '˜should have had a bigger burger'.
Car damaged in M23 crashCar damaged in M23 crash
Car damaged in M23 crash

Police said Colin Delaney was 5mcg over the limit when he failed a roadside breath test following the collision on May 31 last year.

He admitted to drinking a couple of glasses of wine at lunch before his silver Mercedes CL500 collided with the rear of a green Ford Transit at 7.40pm near junction 9 of the motorway.

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After he was arrested police said officers advised him of the breath test reading and Delaney replied: “I should have had a bigger burger.”

Damaged van following M23 crashDamaged van following M23 crash
Damaged van following M23 crash

Both vehicles were badly damaged and the southbound carriageway was closed for half-an-hour while the vehicles were recovered.

Delaney, 56, a director, of Hammerpond Road, Plummers Plain, Horsham, was charged with driving with 40mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system.

Police said he showed no remorse and was more interested in finding out how far over the limit he was.

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At Horsham Magistrates’ Court on Monday (February 5), he was disqualified from driving for 13 months. He was also fined £300 and ordered to pay £450 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Arresting officer PC Brad Simms, of the Bognor Regis Response Unit, said: “Eating a bigger meal would have had a minimal impact on the breath test reading Delaney recorded. Instead of worrying about how close to the legal limit he was, Delaney could have guaranteed he was safe to drive by not drinking altogether.

“The effects of alcohol vary from person to person, and depend on a number of factors including age, weight, sex, metabolism, type of alcohol, what a person has eaten recently and their stress levels at the time.

“Delaney made a conscious decision to drive having consumed alcohol earlier that day. In doing so he not only risked being over the limit; he also risked his own life and the lives of other road users.

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“Aside from being illegal, drink-driving is socially unacceptable and Sussex Police will prosecute anyone caught committing the offence.

“Our advice is simple: drink OR drive; never both.”

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.

Alternatively, you can visit the Crimestoppers website or contact the independent charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.