Drink driver tried to flee from police

James Lawrence tried to run away from officers when they pulled his van over because they suspected he was drink-driving at 11.30pm on 29 June.

An off-duty officer had dialled 999 after seeing Lawrence drive off the road and almost hit a cyclist with his van in Ersham Road, Hailsham.

When uniformed officers told him they wanted to breathalyse him, Lawrence tried to run off but was caught and arrested.

Lawrence, of Capella Path, Hailsham, pleaded guilty to drink-driving. He was banned from driving for 23 months and ordered to pay a £400 fine, £85 costs and a £40 victim surcharge.

Superintendent Jane Derrick said: “It is hard to understand what Lawrence thought he could achieve by running away, bearing mind the officers had his van and had seen him driving it.

“He is yet another example of the sort of motorist who seems to think that the drink-driving laws don’t apply to them. We will not tolerate any drink-driving and anyone who we catch should expect to be banned from the roads.”

A total of 65 people have now been convicted of offences after being arrested in June as part of Operation Dragonfly, Sussex Police’s crackdown on drink and drug driving.

Laszlo Balogh, 40, was arrested at 2.40am on 21 June after his car was seen weaving across the A259 from Bexhill to Hastings.

Balogh, of Kenilworth Road, St Leonards, pleaded guilty to drink-driving, driving without insurance and driving without a licence. He was banned from driving for three years and ordered to pay a £100 fine, £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

Mircea Moraru, 38, was arrested at 3.45pm on 18 June after he crashed his car into a wall in Carlisle Parade, Hastings.

Moraru, of New Road, Rainham, Essex, pleaded guilty to drink-driving and failing to answer bail. He was banned from driving for 28 months and ordered to pay a £400 fine, £85 costs and a £35 victim surcharge.

Maria De-Wet, 64, was arrested at 10.15am on 10 June after officers saw her swerving across Golden Jubilee Way in Polegate.

De-Wet, of Kings Ride, Alfriston, pleaded guilty to drink-driving. She was banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay a £110 fine, £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

Ashley Baldwin, 49, was arrested at 10.45pm on 1 June after she was seen driving with a faulty light in Heene Road, Worthing.

People in Sussex can text officers on 65999 with the details of people they suspect of drink or drug driving or visit www.operationcrackdown.co.uk.

If you know someone is driving while over the limit or after taking drugs call 999.