Operation Dragonfly drink driving prosecutions

Roads have now reopened but traffic is still bad

James Goodall, 31, a plasterer, of no fixed address, was arrested on the M23 at Gatwick on 11 June and charged with being in charge of a motor vehicle with 79mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system.

He pleaded guilty at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on 27 June and had his driving licence endorsed with 10 penalty points. He was also ordered to pay a £400 fine, £85 costs and a £40 victim surcharge.

Vasile Mocanu, 28, a builder, of Green Walk, Crawley, was arrested in Pegler Way, Crawley, on 12 June, and charged with driving with 60mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system and driving with no insurance.

He pleaded guilty at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on 28 June and was disqualified from driving for 36 months. He was also ordered to pay a £550 fine, £85 costs and a £35 victim surcharge.

Rebecca Lambert, 28, a hotel receptionist, of Troon Close, Crawley, was arrested in Peverel Road, Crawley, on 12 June and charged with driving with 125mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in her system.

She pleaded guilty at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on 28 June and was disqualified from driving for 30 months. She was also ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work in the next 12 months, and pay £85 costs and a £85 victim surcharge.

Stephen Budd, 62, a mechanic, of The Gables, Copthorne, was arrested in Copthorne Bank, Copthorne, on 14 June, and charged with driving with 105mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system and failing to stop after a road traffic collision.

He pleaded guilty at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on 30 June and was disqualified from driving for 28 months. He was also given a three-month curfew and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £85 victim surcharge.

A statement from Sussex Police said: “A total of 21 motorists have now been convicted since Operation Dragonfly, Surrey and Sussex Police’s summer crackdown on drink and drug-drivers, started on 10 June.

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

“You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 https://crimestoppers-uk.org/

“To keep up to date with officers looking for drink or drug drivers, follow #opdragonfly on Twitter.

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