Drink driver caught after running out of petrol on the A259

Jonathan Viney, 28, spent the evening of December 5 drinking beer and spirits at The Beresford, a pub in Middleton, before deciding to drive home.

His car broke down in Middleton Road, near the junction with the A259, so Viney abandoned his car in the road and went on foot to get fuel from a nearby petrol station.

When he returned to his Fiat Brava at 2am following morning, police officers were waiting to arrest him.

A breathalyser confirmed he had 86 millilitres of alcohol per 100 millilitres of his breath - more than twice the 35 millilitres legal limit.

Viney, of Silver Birch Drive, Bognor Regis, pleaded guilty to drink-driving.

He was banned from driving for 46 months, fined £110 and ordered to pay a £20 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

Superintendent Jane Derrick, the head of roads policing in Sussex and Surrey, said: “Viney knew the consequences of being caught drink-driving but decided to try his luck anyway and is now paying the price.

“It was fortunate that he had not bothered to keep track of how much petrol was in his car because if he had continued driving he could have caused a serious accident.

“He put both himself and other people in danger.

“There is no excuse for drink-driving and we will not tolerate it in Sussex or Surrey.”

Jack Jenkins, 20, was arrested at 3am on December 7 after he crashed his car into the Robin Hood pub in Shripney.

Jenkins, of Barnett Close, Eastergate, pleaded guilty to drink-driving.

He was banned from driving for 17 months, fined £280 and ordered to pay a £28 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

A total of five motorists have so far been convicted and sentenced after they were caught in Sussex Police’s Christmas crackdown on drink and drug-driving.

A total of 56 motorists have so far been charged with offences after they were arrested this month in Sussex’s drink and drug-driving crackdown.

For the first time, the December campaign is being run jointly by Sussex Police and Surrey Police alongside Sussex Safer Roads Partnership, Drive Smart in Surrey and the independent charity Crimestoppers.

As part of Operation Dragonfly - Sussex Police’s year-round strategy to remove drink and drug-drivers from the streets - roads policing unit officers are on dedicated patrols looking for offenders.

Teams will also respond to tip-offs from members of the public who see someone they know has been drinking getting into a car to drive.

People in Sussex can text officers on 65999 with the details of people they suspect of drink or drug driving or visit www.operationcrackdown.co.uk.

You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

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