School taxi driver banned for drink driving

A 58-year-old taxi driver has been banned from driving and ordered to pay fines and costs in excess of £9,500, after being convicted of being more than three times the drink drive limit whilst on a school run.

Jonathan Drew, of Upper Road, Little Cornard, appeared at Ipswich Magistrates’ Court (pictured above)  on Friday, February 27, where he was disqualified from driving for three years.

He was also fined £7,500 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £2,000, along with costs of £85.

Drew had pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol at an earlier hearing on Friday, February 13, where he was made subject of an interim driving ban prior to the sentencing hearing.

The incident occurred at approximately 3.40pm on Thursday, February 12, at a car park in Grove Road, Bury St Edmunds, where Drew had driven his taxi to collect students.

As Drew approached the entrance to the car park, he collided with another car coming out and failed to stop.

The driver of the other car turned around to follow him into the car park to speak to him about hitting their car.

On speaking to Drew, the driver of the other car immediately noticed a strong smell of alcohol and called the police, blocking Drew’s taxi so he could not drive away.

Officers attended and Drew failed a roadside breath test, providing a reading of 144 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, which is more than four times the legal limit of 35 microgrammes in 100 millilitres of breath.

Drew was arrested and taken to Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre where he later provided an evidential sample of breath of 124mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, which is 3.5 times the legal limit. He was subsequently charged and remanded to appear at court the next day.

PC Wayne Sturman, of the Commercial Vehicle Unit (CVU), said: “I was incredibly shocked when informed of this case – in our roles as CVU officers we have encountered all manner of offences committed by people who we regard as ‘professional drivers’, but I have to say this is one of the most shocking.

“Drink-driving is incredibly dangerous – especially when you are that many times over the limit. But to then drive a taxi when you will be transporting children is reckless beyond belief.

“We are very grateful to the member of the public for their quick actions on that day – calling police immediately and preventing him from continuing to drive his taxi.

“The ramifications for Jonathan Drew now are that he has lost his livelihood and I hope the length of the ban and the significant financial penalties imposed, act as a deterrent to other drivers.”