From the Dover Express, 2 January 2014.

Drink-drive ban.

DOVER: A man who pleaded guilty to drink-driving and failing to stop after a road traffic collision has begn sentenced at Channel Magistrates’ Court.

Kevin Neil Colville, 42, of Barton Road, drove a Volkswagen in Cherry Tree Avenue on September 15 and when stopped gave a breath test of 101 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

Magistrates disqualified him from driving for 26 months and ordered him to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months for the drink-driving offence, and 50 hours of unpaid work for failing to stop. He must also pay £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

From the Dover Express, 16 January 2014.

Drink-driver gets 3-year ban.

DOVER: A man was convicted of drink-driving after he found his wife in bed with his neighbour then drove his car while twice the legal limit for alcohol, Margate Magistrates’ Court heard on Monday.

Jaroslav Cury, 30, returned to his home in the early hours of December 1 on Folkestone Road after a friend’s birthday party, to find his wife sleeping with the neighbour.

He had walked to and from the party but after seeing his wife with another man he said he had to leave before he did something he regretted.

He got into his Audi A4 to drive to his cousin’s house in Ramsgate, but was stopped in Cliffsend by police and found him to have more than twice the legal limit of alcohol in his system.

The father of two, who speaks minimal English, needed a Slovakian interpreter in court.

He was banned from driving for three years as it was his second offence, and given 100 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £145 costs.

He will pay £10 every fortnight out of his benefits.

From the Dover Express, 23 January 2014.

Drink-driver loses licence.

EASTRY: A man caught more than twice over the drink-drive limit has lost his licence.

Craig Andrews pleaded guilty following an incident in Sturry Road, Canterbury on November 28.

The 22-year-old, of Peak Drive, Eastry, drove a Rover 45 and when stopped gave a breath test of 73 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

Magistrates disqualified Andrews from driving for 18 months and fined him £120. He must also pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

He was sentenced on January 6 at Canterbury and St Augustine Magistrates’ Court.

From the Dover Express, 23 January 2014.

Driver gets ban.

AYLESHAM: Motorist Kwai Hei Lai pleaded guilty to drink-driving following an incident on the B2046 Aylesham Road, on November 19, 2013.

The 52-year-old was sentenced on January 3 at Canterbury and St Augustine Magistrates’ Court.

When stopped he gave a breath test reading of 64 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Magistrates disqualified Folkestone resident Lai from driving for 21 months and fined him £700. He must also pay £85 costs and a £70 victim surcharge.

From the Dover Express, 23 January 2014.

Drive ban for teenager.

WHITFIELD: A teenager who was caught drink driving has been banned from getting behind the wheel again for 18 months.

Tom Jonathan Taylor was driving a VW Polo near his house in Singledge Lane, Whitfield, when he was stopped by police in November.

Taylor, 19, gave a breath test and had 68 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - nearly twice the legal limit of 35.

He pleaded guilty to drink driving at Folkestone Magistrates Court on December 23 and was disqualified for 18 months and fined £125.

Taylor must also pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

From the Dover Express, 23 January 2014.

Drink-driver in 18-month ban.

DOVER: A man caught more than twice over the drink-drive limit has been fined £300.

Neil Dowling pleaded guilty to drink-driving following an incident in Alkham Valley Road, Dover, on November 23.

He was sentenced on January 6 at Channel Magistrates’ Court.

The 29-year-old, of Whitfield Avenue, Dover, gave a breath test of 77 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

Magistrates disqualified Dowling for 18 months and fined him a total of £415.

From the Dover Express, 27 February, 2014.

Woman faces drink-drive rap.

ELVINGTON: A woman has been charged with drink-driving after a collision.

Police were called to an incident in Barfrestone on Thursday, February 13, and arrested the driver of the car involved.

Hayley Cloke, of Ash Grove, Elvington, was charged with drink-driving and released on bail.

The 38-year-old will appear before Folkestone magistrates on March 12.

From the Dover Express, 6 March 2014.

Drink-drive rap.

DEAL: A man charged on suspicion of drink-driving is due to appear in court later this month.

Ross Peter Lowe, 29, was arrested by officers in Willow Road, Deal, on Friday, February 21.

Lowe, of The Street in Woodnesborough, was released on bail to answer before Folkestone magistrates on March 23.

From the Dover Express, 20 March, 2014. By Antony Thrower.

Alcoholic spat in policeman’s face, court told.

Defendant also kicked officer in head.

AN ALCOHOLIC’S night out to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Dover ended with him kicking a policeman in the back of the head, spitting in his face and claiming he had hepatitis C.

Magistrates were told last Thursday that Kevin Friend, 26, had gone out on December 31 with the intention of drinking moderately - but alcohol “got the better of him”.

He was about to go home to Folkestone when police arrested him on suspicion of criminal damage - a charge which later was proven false.

Friend was put in the back of a police car, but as he was being driven back to Folkestone, he started lashing out with his arms and legs.

His right foot connected with the head of PC James Cattermole, who was knocked unconscious for five seconds, causing the car to lurch on to the other side of the road. The car came to a stop and Friend was “manhandled” out.

When PC Cattermole came round and went to assist his colleagues, the defendant spat in his face, adding that he had hepatitis C.

In a statement read out in court, PC Cattermole said: “I am extremely upset and angry “Friend deliberately kicked me in the back of the head when I was driving. His reckless and dangerous actions endangered his life and mine and I’m told the car swerved into the other lane.

“If a car had been coming the other way, I don’t know what would have happened.”

PC Cattermole said he would have to have blood tests for the next six months owing to Friend’s claim he had hepatitis C, although this was proved untrue.

Friend, who is currently serving a sentence at Pentonville prison for a separate offence, was led into the dock in chains. At one point he had to be taken back downstairs to the cells as he felt unwell owing to his medication.

Leanne James, defending, said her client felt deep regret.

Struggling.

She said: “His recollection because of the amount he had to drink is a little hazy but he can recall struggling, throwing his arms and legs about.

“He can see how dangerous that was. He says he can recall the police car pulling over and that he was manhandled roughly out. He said he was shouting and spittle did go on PC Cattermole’s face.

“He says the officer called him a ‘disgusting b******’, which he didn’t blame him for. He retaliated by saying he had hepatitis C, which he didn’t have.

“He didn’t intend the officer to go through a lengthy period of worry. He is getting on top of his drinking because of the self regret at how he let himself down.”

Folkestone magistrates handed Friend an 18-week prison sentence, to run concurrently with his current term.

From the Dover Express, 20 March, 2014.

Cul-de-sac 'overrun by 200 drunk teenagers’

A HOUSE was broken into, its carpets were ripped up and urinated on and neighbours were assaulted when “more than 200 teenagers” threw a party.

Single mum-of-two Tracey Shelvey, 30, said she phoned the police on Saturday night to complain about a disturbance in her road in Whitfield.

Henniker Close has about 30 houses and 24 of them contacted officers about the goings-on, according to Miss Shelvey. Some suggested the party was advertised on Facebook and “got out of hand”.

Miss Shelvey told the Express how she and her father were assaulted when the small cul-de-sac became overrun by drunken youngsters. The Alkhamhurst Kennels worker said: “I had gone over to my mum’s, who lives opposite, to get a bit further away from the noise.

“On the way back a couple of them pushed me out of the way and punched my dad in the face.

“He’s a big bloke so he was OK, but it was horrible. When I got back I saw someone had broken in through the back door, smashed the mirror, ripped up some of the carpets and weed all over the hallway floor.

“There must have been more than 200 of them, aged 15 to 18 and very drunk.

Up to 10 police vehicles attended and officers dispersed the gathering and patrolled the area overnight. A spokesman said no arrests were made but enquiries are continuing.

From the Dover Express, 20 March, 2014.

Drink-driver loses licence.

RIVER: A man caught behind the wheel of his Audi A1 when more than twice over the drink-drive limit has lost his licence.

Dean Marcus Lodder pleaded guilty and was sentenced on March 3 at Channel Magistrates’ Court.

He was caught on Blackhouse Hill, Hythe, on February 1.

The 27-year-old, of Lewisham Road, gave a breath test of 87mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.

Magistrates disqualified Lodder from driving for 20 months and fined him £370. He must also pay £85 costs and a £37 victim surcharge.

From the Dover Express, 27 March, 2014.

Complaints of drunken youths.

RIVER: A group of drunken youngsters triggered a string of complaints from residents on Friday night.

Kent Police confirmed around 15 males and females were moved on from Kearsney Abbey at 10pm after their alcohol was confiscated.

A spokesman added: “Then another call came in about a group of youths causing a noise nuisance in Common Lane at around 10.37pm, and then later in Crabble Road at 11.15pm."

Residents said the children were as young as ten.

From the Dover Express, 17 April, 2014.

Drink-drive fine.

SANDWICH: A man caught drink-driving in Delfside has been handed a £400 fine.

William Roebuck pleaded guilty after the incident in December and was sentenced on March 27 at Channel Magistrates’ Court.

The 27-year-old, of Stour Court, Sandwich, drove a Kymco moped and, when stopped, gave a blood test of 170 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80 milligrams.

Magistrates disqualified Roebuck from driving for 18 months and fined him £400. He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £40 victim surcharge.

From the Dover Express, 17 April, 2014. By Antony Thrower.

Drink-driver was drowning sorrows after wife left him.

Court told 64-year-old had been ‘heartbroken’

A MOTORIST who pleaded guilty to drink-driving had been drowning his sorrows with a friend after his wife left him and his teenage son “completely out of the blue,” a court heard.

Police were called to the A258 near Ringwould on November 18 last year following reports of a collision.

Richard Plume, 64, of Chapel Lane, St Margaret’s, was arrested when officers noticed his “eyes were glazed” and his speech was “slurred”.

Plume originally pleaded not guilty, but magistrates were told on last Thursday he had changed his plea.

Devastating.

Defending, Leanne James said: “About a week before this incident occurred Mr Plume was delivered a very devastating blow by his wife.

“He has been married for 21 years and with his wife has a 19-year-old son.

“He thought he had a happy and contented marriage but one day he phoned his wife at work to discuss putting some money in their son’s bank account.

“Completely out of the blue his wife said she didn’t love him any more and she had moved that day to Maidstone.

“He went home and found the family home had been stripped of everything apart from a sofa, a chair and other sticks of furniture. I’m not exaggerating to say he was heartbroken.”

The court heard a publican friend, who lived five miles away, invited him over for company where he had “some pints of lager”. On the drive home he crashed the Nissan Note.

Miss James added: “He has worked all his life but this has caused him mental turmoil.

“He owns a catering company but since this he has lost some lucrative contracts. He is realistically looking at losing his home.

“He only drove because of his desperate state of mind.” Magistrates fined Plume £400, as well as costs of £170 and a victim surcharge of £40. He was disqualified for 18 months, which could be reduced if he completes a course.

From the Dover Express, 17 April, 2014.

Drink-driver loses licence.

SANDWICH: A man caught more than twice over the legal alcohol limit has lost his driving licence.

Ross Lowe pleaded guilty after an incident in Willow Road in Deal on February 21.

The 30-year-old, of The Street, Woodnesborough, was sentenced on March 27 at Channel Magistrates’ Court.

He drove a Vauxhall Corsa and, when stopped, gave a breath test of 73 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

Magistrates disqualified Lowe from driving for 18 months. He was fined £300 and must pay £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

From the Dover Express, 24 April, 2014.

Drink arrest.

EYTHORNE: A teen has been charged with being drunk and disorderly after a night out.

Aaron Horsfall, of Elmton Lane, Eythorne, was arrested following an incident in Beer Cart Lane, Canterbury, on Friday, April 11.

The 19-year-old was released on bail to answer before Canterbury Magistrates on May 23.

From the Dover Express, 15 May, 2014. By Joe Kasper.

Drunken dad ‘did a runner’ after bike crash.

Driver also had no licence or insurance

A HOVERCRAFT maker who crashed a motorbike was driving without a licence or insurance and was over the drink-drive limit.

Father of two Benjamin Bristow drove the yellow Triumph TT along St Radigund’s Road, where he lives, in the early hours of March 24, before crashing it into a parked vehicle and “did a runner”, Folkestone Magistrates’ Court heard.

Bristow, who wore a blue Adidas hoodie and jeans for his court appearance, was sentenced on Wednesday last week.

Prosecuting, Neil Sweeney said: “Witnesses heard the collision, one followed him for a considerable amount of time and lost sight of him.

“At 2.05am he was arrested and failed a test. In interview he made a full and frank admission.”

Defending, Vicky Simpson said: “He had a bit to drink and then decided to go for a ride. He knew what he was doing was wrong and was extremely remorseful.

Panicked.

“With regards to failing to stop after a road accident, he simply panicked.
“He works seven days a week, during the week in the factory and at weekends he runs his own leisure business.”

The 32-year-old was charged with four offences, driving a vehicle while over the alcohol limit, without third party insurance, otherwise than in accordance with a licence and failing to stop after a road accident.

Chairman of the bench Cheryl Crees said: “We understand that you are working hard. If you do drive while disqualified you will commit a serious offence.

“You are not setting a good example to your two children and we don’t want to see you again.” Magistrates imposed a disqualification from driving for 40 months, a community order and curfew for five months from 8pm to 6am except for certain days.

Bristow was fined a total of £780 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £60 and costs of £85, to be paid at £100 a week.

From the Dover Express, 29 May, 2014.

Crash at pub.

DOVER: A man has been charged with drink-driving after his car ploughed into a pub.

Cameron James, 18, will appear in court in Folkestone on June 12 following the crash in Bench Street on Saturday morning.

James, of Dover Road, Walmer, has been released on bail.

From the Dover Express, 12 June, 2014.

Granada building is set to be demolished.

THE former Granada cinema in Castle Street is set to be demolished.

The huge building - more recently home to Images nightclub and Snoops - is having its roof removed over the next eight weeks. A public notice on a nearby lamppost saying Dolphin Passage will be closed while the roof is removed makes no mention of demolition.

But KCC spokesman Murray Evans told the Express: “The request to KCC was for a road closure, because there was an intention to demolish the building in the future.

“However, in the short term, the initial work is just to remove the roof, so there was no need to mention the demolition aspect on that particular notice.”

The building was bought from JD Wetherspoon by Hertfordshire-based Dover Heritage and Regeneration earlier this year. DHR has repeatedly refused to reveal what it intends to do with the site, which is in a state of disrepair. Banners adorning the building’s frontage promoting Big Local were recently removed.

Adeline Reidy, who put the banners up last October, said: “They are now being stored with a local company until new locations can be secured.”

The Granada opened in 1930 and was the UK’s first “super cinema”. It later became the ABC and then converted into a nightclub - Images - in 1982.

From the Dover Express, 26 June, 2014.

Drink driver.

AYLESHAM: A man caught nearly twice over the drink-drive limit has been fined £300.

Tony Bartolo pleaded guilty following an incident in Knight Avenue, Canterbury, on April 12.

He was sentenced on May 30 at Canterbury Magistrates’ Court.

The 26-year-old, of Dorman Avenue South, drove a VW Polo and when stopped gave a breath test of 63 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

Magistrates disqualified Bartolo from driving for 18 months and fined him £300.

He was also ordered to pay £85 costs plus a £30 victim surcharge.

From the Dover Express, 26 June, 2014.

Golfer admits drink-driving.

ST MARGARET’S: A golfer who had a few drinks at the 19th hole ended up in court after deciding to drive home.

Alan Edmunds, of Hardy Road, appeared before magistrates in Folkestone last Wednesday and pleaded guilty to driving while above the legal alcohol limit.

Evelyn Hawkins, prosecuting, said police had stopped Edmunds after seeing his BMW being driven erratically on the A2 at Whitfield on May 26.

A breath test revealed 93 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

David Nelson, mitigating, said: “On the day in question he had been playing golf.

“His best friend had won a tournament and he had been celebrating the birth of his child.”

Magistrates fined the 55-year-old £1,000, ordered him to pay costs of £85, a victim surcharge of £100 and disqualified him from driving for 24 months.

From the Dover Express, 3 July, 2014.

Three-year ban for drink driver.

DEAL: A drink-driver has lost his licence for three years and been fined £300.

Ben Dennis pleaded guilty following an incident in Sondes Road, Deal, on February 16.

The 26-year-old, of Freemen’s Way, drove a Toyota Aygo and when stopped gave a urine test of 155 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of urine. The legal limit is 107 milligrams.

Magistrates on June 9 also told him to pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

From the Dover Express, 17 July, 2014. By Phil Hayes.

Hundreds of cans of super-strength alcohol confiscated in town centre.

HUNDREDS of bottles and cans of super-strength booze have been seized from street drinkers in a Dover town centre summer crackdown.

Police officers and PCSOs - dubbed “hobo cops” - launched a special month-long operation to tackle antisocial behaviour and reduce alcohol-related crimes such as shoplifting.

'HOBO COPS': Dover Community Policing Team Sergeant Carl Lidgley and Constable Danielle Rolfe with just some of the alcohol that has been seized in the past month.

Some of the regular drinkers have become wise to officers seizing “tramp juice’ and taken to decanting their drinks into paper coffee cups to disguise they are swigging Special Brew, White Star, Frosty Jack cider and Tennants Super.

And since the crackdown was launched last month, officers have issued 14 court summons for consuming alcohol in a designated place and a fixed penalty notice of £80.

Carl Lidgley, Community Policing Team Sergeant, said: “Street drinkers make life miserable for people who just want to go about their business without being hassled and abused.

“During the summer, Dover experiences a significant increase in drink related antisocial behaviour and crime in the town centre.

Nuisance.

“We’ve also seen a rise in the number of calls from the public reporting drunks making a nuisance of themselves.

“This operation helps to combat these issues by deploying officers and PCSOs dedicated to reducing the problem.”

After an Express campaign last year, Dover District Commander Steve Barlow vowed to completely rid the town centre of street drinkers by this summer, vowing: “We are going to hammer this.”

Dover was then covered by a “consumption of alcohol in a designated place” order which gives police the power to seize and destroy alcohol.

Anyone who fails to surrender their booze, or consumes it after being warned, faces prosecution.

The Dover Partnership Against Crime (DPAC) has provided alcohol testing kits for officers to use during the operation. Some of the regular drinkers have been asking people to buy alcohol on their behalf as some licensed premises will not serve them.

CRUNCH TALKS: Express chief reporter Mike Sims and editor Simon Finlay discuss town centre drunks with Ch Insp Steve Barlow and Dover MP Charlie Elphicke.

The operation complements Reduce The Strength scheme whereby off licences are asked the to sell alcohol above 6.5 per cent abv (alcohol by volume) to known street drinkers.

From the Dover Express, 7 August, 2014.

Drink-driver loses licence.

DOVER: A boozy motorist caught three times over the limit near his home has lost his licence.

Vojtech Horvath pleaded guilty to drink-driving and was sentenced on July 16 at Channel Magistrates’ Court.

The 28-year-old, of Folkestone Road, drove a Fiat Punto in May and, when stopped, gave a breath test of 101 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

Magistrates disqualified Horvath from driving for 24 months and ordered him to do 100 hours of unpaid work.

He must also pay £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

From the Dover Express, 4 September 2014.

‘Drink-drive’ saga left trail of destruction.

SEVERAL parked vehicles were damaged in River on Saturday when a car ploughed into them.

A motorist hit up to seven cars along Lewisham Road, near the Minnis Lane junction, at 11pm, leaving a trail of destruction.

One of the victims, Lorraine Toh, only got her car a month ago and said on social media: “Goodbye little car, never really had the chance to get to know you properly.”

Leo Clarke, 41, from Hamstreet, has been charged with drink-driving and bailed to answer before Folkestone magistrates on September 22.

CRUNCHED: The cars were hit on Saturday night.

From the Dover Express, 2 October 2014.

Drink-driver loses licence.

DOVER: A boozy motorist who did not bother to stop after a crash has lost his licence.

Craig Thomas Philpott pleaded guilty to drink-driving, driving while disqualified, failing to stop following a road traffic collision and driving with no insurance.

He was sentenced on September 18 at Channel Magistrates’ Court.

On August 31, the 27-year-old, of Dunedin Drive, drove a VW Golf in London Road while disqualified.

He gave a breath reading of 56 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

He also failed to stop following a collision in London Road and had no insurance.

Magistrates sentenced Philpott to 26 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, and disqualified him from driving for three years.

He was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months, pay £300 in compensation, £85 costs and an £80 victim surcharge.

From the Dover Express, 9 October 2014.

Drink driver.

DEAL: A man caught more than twice over the drink-drive limit has lost his licence.

Richard Spencer Wattenbach pleaded guilty to drink-driving after an incident in Beach Street, Deal, on August 30.

The 65-year-old, of Campbell Road, Deal, drove a Rover 75 and, when stopped, gave a breath test of 75 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

On September 22 at Channel Magistrates’ Court, he was disqualified from driving for 36 months and fined £100.

He must also pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

From the Dover Express, 4 December 2014.

Drink driver.

DEAL: A man has been banned from the road for nearly two years after being caught drink driving.

Timothy James Bugden, 48, of Golf Road, Deal, was arrested in High Street on October 31.

He had been driving a Ford Focus and when stopped gave a breath test of 98 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35. microgrammes.

Magistrates disqualified Bugden from driving for 23 months and ordered him to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months. He must also pay £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.