Fast food giant McDonald's has helped police apprehend another drink driver, albeit in a slightly indirect manner on this occasion.
Brian Okidi, 33, of Greenhithe Road, Aylestone, Leicester, was previously convicted of driving with excess alcohol, obstructing a police constable and driving without insurance.
He was sentenced at Leicester Magistrates' Court on Friday, 6th December 2024.
Driving with excess alcohol is an offence contrary to section 5(1) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and has a maximum sentence of 26 weeks' custody and/or a fine at level 5 (unlimited) on summary conviction.
Magistrates heard that Okidi's black MG motor vehicle was brought to the attention of police on the morning of Monday, 22nd July.
A member of the public had reported that the car was obstructing a cycle lane and the driver, now identified as Okidi, was dozing behind the wheel.
Sukhy Basi, prosecuting, continued: "Officers approached and saw him asleep with a McDonald's breakfast half eaten and the engine still running. The officer had to knock heavily to rouse the defendant."
After giving a false name, Okidi stumbled as he exited the vehicle. Having cause to suspect he was under the influence, the officers required him to complete a road side breath test.
On failing the road side test, Okidi was arrested and taken to the police station. Whilst there he provided an evidential specimen containing 97 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the prescribed limit being 35 microgrammes.
Mr Basi said: "He (Okidi) said he had been drinking whiskey in town all night. When asked when he had stopped drinking he said, 'In all honesty, I don't know."
During interview the 33-year-old, who is no stranger to either the police or McDonald's, maintained the pretence that he was someone else. His true identity was later confirmed when he was fingerprinted.
Okidi has a previous convictions for drink driving, driving whilst disqualified and failing to stop at the scene of an accident, as well as for a string of non-motoring offences.
He had originally denied drink driving, saying that the MG had been parked up in the cycle lane all night. This was contradicted by CCTV footage, which showed him arriving in the car earlier in the morning. In any event, he failed to attend for trial and was convicted in his absence.
Roshni Modi, mitigating, said her client had given a false name because he had panicked. She said her client was a "hard working" man, who worked selling and washing cars - although perhaps not for much longer.
She added: "Although he's fit to do unpaid work he feels unpaid work would be setting him up to fail due to his employment."
That being the case Okidi, via the medium of Ms Modi, expressed his preference for a standalone suspended sentence order.
This clearly got the back up of the Magistrates, with the Presiding Justice, Gareth Roberts, telling Okidi: "It's not up to you to suggest the sentence we give you. We're not here to work at your convenience, do I make myself clear?"
Disregarding Okidi's request, Magistrates sentenced him to an 18-month community order with 300 hours' unpaid work - a fairly hefty order, so there may have been some merit in the suggestion he was being "set up to fail".
He was also ordered to pay £620 towards prosecution costs and £114 surcharge.
Okidi was disqualified from driving for a period of 4 years.
Addressing Okidi before he left the courtroom, Mr Roberts said: "If you drive now you will be sent to prison."
Anyone wondering about the title to this post: It's pretty well known in court and police circles that a large number of drink drivers are caught "with the munchies" when they attend McDonald's drive thrus. I think McDonald's must have a company policy of reporting any driver they suspect of being under the influence.
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