From the Dover Express, 3 January 2004.

Drink driver awaits his fate.

A DOVER man who drank two bottles of white wine and then drove while disqualified appeared in court on Tuesday.

Magistrates heard how Michael Pearson of Balfour Road was discovered by police in a Rover car with an unidentified woman on Christmas Eve in St Margaret’s.

Officers tapped on the window but got no response from the occupants, who appeared to be asleep.

A few minutes later, the car was seen driving off.

Mr Pearson - who is in his late 50s - admitted driving with excess alcohol, driving while disqualified and without insurance.

The court heard how he had been drinking after work and had consumed two bottles of wine. A breath specimen showed him to be just under twice the legal limit.

Mr Pearson was remanded on conditional bail until January 26 for reports.

He was told by the bench that a custodial sentence was not out of the question.

From the Dover Express, 18 March 2004.

Driver in double drink rap.

BOOZY Leonard Richmond was picked up for drunken driving twice in a montli inside Dover ferry terminal, a court was told.

Richmond, 47, of Pratt Street, Soham had just started a cross-Channel property service when he was caught.

He admitted drink driving within the port on September 2 and September 28.

Heather Cerullo, prosecuting, had driven off the ferry when a customs officer smelt drink on his breath. He tested twice the legal limit.

Later that month police noticed Richmond sitting in a Renault 25 smelling of drink — this time the reading was 55.

Martin Archbold, defending said Mr Richmond had been to Calais on business with a partner. They had a heavy lunch and the radiator on the Mitsibushi car he was driving began to leak. On the way back to Dover he was pulled up by customs. While the car was being searched he drunk two miniatures of brandy. The second time he just missed the ferry and decided to have a meal and a drink.

For the first offence he was banned for 20 months, fined £250 and had his licence endorsed. He was fined £175 for having no insurance and had his licence endorsed for having no licence. For the offences on September 28 he was banned from driving for three years and fined £150 with £150 costs.

From the Dover Express, 27 May 2004.

Drink-driver is given ban.

DEPRESSED Simon Green drove drunk a year after his mother died, a court was told last week.

Green, 41, of Old Folkestone Road, Aycliffe, Dover was stopped in Canterbury Road, Folkestone, on May 7 because police noticed there was no driver’s mirror inside his Escort.

They followed him from Downs Road to Elvington Lane and asked him to pull over. They noticed drink on his breath and a later reading showed he had three times the legal limit of alcohol in his body.

Green admitted drink-driving at Folkestone Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Julian Rixon, defending, said: “His partner’s grandmother died on May 7 and his own mother had died on that date last year.

“He had been up drinking late the previous night and then had three or four pints of beer the following day which put his levels up.”

Magistrates adjourned the case until June 14 for pre-sentence reports and in the meantime gave him a temporary driving ban.

From the Dover Express, 18 November 2004.

Go-ahead given to off-licence.

A NEW off-licence in Dover’s High Street was approved by Folkestone magistrates last week.

The application was heard on Thursday and, despite numerous letters of objection, no members of the public attended the hearing.

The licence has been granted on a provisional basis to be declared final on December 6 after a premises visit.

A council spokesman said: “We received lots of standard letters from residents of the area, but when they don’t attend, their opinions don’t carry much weight.”

A notice has been displayed in the shop window to inform customers of the decision.

Premier stores boss Mandy Little, of Elms Vale, said: “We’re on track to open at the beginning of December, but we want people to know that they shouldn’t be concerned about under-age drinking.

“We are putting measures in place to prevent any problems, we will only sell to over 21s who have photo ID and CCTV will be in place to help prevent anti-social behaviour.

“This is a business venture and we are hopeful it will be a successful one.”