Police sniffer dog finds drink-driver hiding in corn field
A motorist was arrested for drink driving after he tried to flee from police who were attempting to pull him over and a sniffer dog had to be brought to the scene in used to find him.
Samuel Rochelle, of Bromley near Bridgnorth, had been convicted of the same offence almost a decade ago.
In the latest incident he was arrested on the A442 at Bromley on September 11 after being pursued by officers having been seen in a Land Rover in the early hours of the morning. The 29-year-old admitted driving with excess alcohol.
Miss Abigail Hall, prosecuting, told Telford Magistrates Court that the defendant attempted to evade the officers by turning off the main road and abandoning the car near a corn field.
She said after failing to find him in the darkness, the officers requested the dog team and he was eventually located hiding in undergrowth 20 metres from where he had left the vehicle.
He measured 94 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit for drivers is 35 micrograms of alcohol for every 100 millilitres of breath.
Rochelle, of Bromley Farm, was convicted of driving with excess alcohol in November 2007, but under the Road Traffic Act 1988 if an offender repeats the offence within 10 years they are automatically banned for three years.
Miss Jodie Smith, mitigating, told the court the defendant realised that his actions will result in an automatic ban and his visits to see his daughter will be affected as a result.
Chairman of the bench Mr Anthony Wakenshaw banned him from the road for three years, fined him £350, ordered him to pay £135 costs and a victim surcharge of £30.
