A SERIAL drink-driver from Warwick has been jailed after being caught drunk behind the wheel for the fifth time.
Darren McCrorie was arrested after officers stopped him for speeding in The Old Warwick Road, Leamington on May 20.
After stopping him, officers smelt alcohol and asked him to take a breath test which showed he was over the drink-drive limit.
McCrorie, 42, of Deensway, Warwick was jailed for 16 weeks after appearing at Coventry Magistrates’ Court, where he admitted the offence. He was also banned from driving for five years and ordered to pay a £128 victim surcharge.
McCrorie had previously been convicted of drink-driving four times between 2001 and 2013 – which was a factor in the decision to jail him.
PC Gouled Dubad from Leamington Police Station said: “During the evidential procedure, Mr McCrorie stated he’d had three pints and couldn’t understand how this had put him over the drink drive limit.
“In reality alcohol affects everyone differently and there is no exact way of knowing how much you can drink and stay under the limit. However, I would like to think most people would realise three pints was likely to. Drinking lowers your inhibitions so you may be tempted to drink more than the limit. It is safer not to drink and drive at all.
“It is clear he has not learnt from previous experience and will now have the opportunity to reflect on his behaviour during his next few months in prison.
“Hopefully, this will send out a clear message that if you are caught drink driving you will get a criminal record, you will lose your licence and then suffer potential consequences to your employment and ability to travel.
“Of course the worst consequence is you possibly kill someone and live with that for the rest of your life. Given McCrorie’s persistent offending, he can count himself very lucky this hasn’t happened.”
