Spilsby drink driver who hit boy banned two years

A Spilsby  driver who hit a young boy who had run out in front of his van, had been drinking in a pub before getting behind the wheel, a court has heard.
Court told child had run into road in front of van.Court told child had run into road in front of van.
Court told child had run into road in front of van.

Ronald Sabin, 48, of Reynard Street, admitted driving with excess alcohol when he appeared before magistrates in Boston.

Prosecuting, Jim Clare said that police were called to Market Street at 7pm on May 31 after reports that a young child had received minor injuries in the collision with a Ford Tranit van being driven by Sabin.

He said Sabin was arrested after admitting he had been in a pub, although he claimed to have drunk just two pints of lager, and provided a reading of 97 microgrammes of alcohol in his breath at the police station, almost three times the legal limit of 35, although at the time he provided the roadside test the reading had been 107.

Mitigating, Suleiman Baig said Sabin was in the pub with his partner, who has mental health issues, and when he was told she had left the pub without telling him, he had gone in search of her in the van, even though he had originally intended to leave the van in the car park and walk home.

Mr Baig pointed out that the child had run into the road in front of the van and that the driving ban to be imposed on Sabin would affect his business as a window cleaner.

The magistrates told Sabin that alcohol did slow reaction times so he was 'lucky something more serious had not happened'.

He was banned from driving for two years but was offered the drink drivers' rehabilitation course which will reduce the period of the ban by 24 weeks.

He was also fined £250 and ordered to pay £115 in costs and charges.