‘Spiked drink’ led to fourth drink-driving conviction for Abertillery man (From South Wales Argus)

‘Spiked drink’ led to fourth drink-driving conviction for Abertillery man

5:10pm Wednesday 20th February 2013 in News By Chris Wood, Reporter

A GWENT man claimed he had his drink spiked while out socialising, which led him to notch up a fourth drink-driving conviction, a court heard.

Caerphilly Magistrates’ Court heard that Stuart Dirk Rogers, 51, of Commercial Street, Abertillery, was spotted by police officers driving erratically, before speeding away from a police patrol car.

He was caught on Oak Street.

Prosecutor Ruth Hale told the court that officers noticed the red BMW “weaving left to right” and narrowly missing an oncoming vehicle on the evening of February 2.

It then slowed down, hitting the kerb. However, Ms Hale said, the driver then sped off, with officers cornering the vehicle on a nearby street.

She said: “Rogers got out, saying ‘You’ve got me, I’ve been drinking’, before stumbling towards them and adding ‘Can’t you just take me home, I want to go to sleep.’”

She said Rogers has had three previous drink-driving driving bans, the longest in 2005 for three years.

Defence solicitor Andrew Twomlow said Rogers had been out in the town watching the Wales versus Ireland rugby match that day. While he had not drunk excessively, he felt his drink had been spiked. He said this led him to have an argument and to drive his friend’s car home.

Rogers pleaded guilty to driving with 104 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – the limit being 35 micrograms – to having no insurance and no licence.

Chairwoman of the bench Lynne Tibbett said he narrowly escaped a custodial sentence. He was banned from driving for five years, ordered to undertake 200 hours unpaid work, pay £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.