Pair of drink drivers lose licences days before Christmas

Two Cambridge motorists have been banned from driving after being caught over the legal alcohol limit in separate incidents just days before Christmas, with police urging others to plan ahead over the festive and New Year period.

Two drivers from Cambridge have been disqualified after being caught drink driving in the run-up to Christmas.

Javan Kirwa, 23, of Fen Road, Cambridge, was stopped by police just after 3am on 18 December after failing to stop for officers on Church Street. He continued driving to a dead end, climbed across the passenger seat and exited the vehicle through the passenger door.

Kirwa provided a roadside breath test reading of 77 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath — more than twice the legal limit of 35. An evidential test carried out in custody recorded a reading of 71.

At Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court on 23 December, Kirwa pleaded guilty to drink driving. He was disqualified from driving for 18 months and fined £200.

In a separate incident, Andris Podnieks, 43, of Sherbourne Close, Cambridge, was arrested on 19 December after crashing into a lamppost on Kings Hedges Road.

He gave a roadside breath test reading of 71 and later provided an evidential reading of 57 while in custody.

Podnieks pleaded guilty to drink driving at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on 24 December. He was banned from driving for 12 months and fined £384.

Sergeant Stephanie Corletto, from the Cambridgeshire Police Road Policing Unit, said the cases should act as a warning to others.

She said: “Please use these sentences as a reminder that driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is never worth the risk. It endangers lives and can lead to serious consequences, including losing your licence, heavy fines, and even prison.”

She added: “If you’re drinking over the New Year celebrations, plan ahead, arrange a taxi, use public transport, or nominate a sober driver. Don’t risk it behind the wheel.”

Members of the public can report drink or drug driving by calling police on 0800 032 0845.