Friday, 30 January 2009

PUB OWNER FOUR TIMES OVER LIMIT

Thanet district Council press release

A convicted drink driver has had his licence to sell alcohol at a pub in Ramsgate forfeited by Magistrates, following action by Thanet District Council. Raj Singh, the designated premises supervisor responsible for the sale of alcohol at the Shakespeare in Margate Road, Ramsgate, appeared before Magistrates in Margate on 12 December, charged with drink driving.

He was sentenced to 300 hours of unpaid hours work and was disqualified from driving for three years, after the court was told that he was four and a half times over the legal limit. The council became aware of this case and wrote to the court, asking for the matter to be re-listed, as the council has no power to order either forfeiture or suspension of a personal licence to sell alcohol in these circumstances. It is a matter that the court must deal with.

At a hearing today (Thursday 29 January), the court ordered the forfeiture of Mr. Singh’s personal licence, with the Chairman commenting that “he was in a position of trust, responsible for other people.

He was not sending out the right message, was driving heavily intoxicated and should not have been driving.” Cllr. Roger Latchford, Cabinet Member for Culture and Economy, said: “We are pleased to see the courts taking action in this case, particularly as it is not something that the council is able to deal with. I think it sends out the right message that someone who is found to be four and a half times the legal drink drive limit should no longer be responsible for serving alcohol to customers in a pub.”
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4 comments:

  1. James MaskellJanuary 30, 2009 11:35 am

    Good to see a decent sentence meted out, though it should be longer than 3 years driving ban.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Don WoodJanuary 30, 2009 11:40 am

    it only needs one drink to make a car a leathal weapon let alone four times the legal limit which is in my opinion too high already

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousFebruary 01, 2009 2:02 pm

    A car is a lethal weapon before any drink has been taken.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Michael ChildFebruary 01, 2009 8:46 pm

    14.02 So is a bread knife but we don’t all stab each other.

    ReplyDelete

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