A man found to be more than four times over the legal drink-drive limit after being stopped on the M4 has been banned from driving for 30 months.
Vincent Lime, 36, of Caswell Close, Corringham in Thurrock, was arrested on the eastbound carriageway near junction 14 on the afternoon of 6 December, following multiple emergency calls from members of the public concerned about his driving.
Wiltshire Police said officers received at least three 999 calls reporting a Ford Fiesta being driven erratically near junction 15. Roads Policing Unit officers waited at Membury Services, where they later spotted the vehicle and observed it swerving between lanes, changing speed unpredictably and narrowly avoiding collisions with other vehicles.
The car was stopped safely, and Lime was found to be visibly intoxicated. After eight attempts, he provided a roadside breath test reading of 148 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath — more than four times the legal limit. A second test at custody recorded 143 micrograms.
Checks also revealed Lime was only a provisional licence holder. The vehicle was seized at the scene.
Appearing at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Monday 5 January, Lime pleaded guilty to drink driving and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence. He was disqualified from driving for 30 months and ordered to pay £85 in prosecution costs and a £114 victim surcharge.
PC Davis from Wiltshire Police’s Roads Policing Unit said the incident could easily have ended in serious injury or worse.
“Three separate members of the public felt so alarmed by Lime’s driving that they called 999,” he said. “He was swerving across lanes and narrowly missing vehicles at speed on a busy Saturday afternoon.
“I am genuinely amazed he didn’t cause a serious collision. Thankfully, officers were able to stop the vehicle before anyone was hurt.”
The arrest formed part of Operation Limit, a month-long county-wide initiative targeting drink and drug driving, led by Wiltshire Police’s Roads Policing Unit.
PC Davis added: “Drink or drug driving is never tolerated in Wiltshire. If you are planning to drink alcohol, you must plan how you are getting home — including the following day, when you may still be over the legal limit.
“Never get behind the wheel if you think you could be over the limit. The risk is never worth it.”
