Drink driver involved in crash on Soham by-pass

IT was not much of a birthday for Ceiron Philpott this week - instead of celebrating his big day, he was in court for drink driving.

The 20-year-old apprentice mechanic admitted driving a car belonging to his employers when over the alcohol limit - police were alerted when he was involved in a three-vehicle accident on the Soham by-pass.

Officers attending the scene of the crash found a silver Corsa car in a ditch, and the Fiat Brava driven by Philpott had been abandoned, explained prosecutor Penny Cannon. Ten minutes later, Philpott returned to the scene.

She added: “He said he was driving along the A142 towards Ely when there was a bang, and his front air bags went off. He immediately provided a positive breath test. He had been to phone his girlfriend, asking her to collect him, and had run his employer.

A subsequent test showed a reading of 93 mgs of alcohol in 100 mls of blood, when the legal limit is 80 mgs.

Mitigating, Mark Edmondson said: “He had drunk two pints of Stella; he is not sure what happened in the car, clearly something happened and there was a collision.”

Philpott, of Centre Road, Soham, has been given his notice from his employers, Manchetts of Burwell, since the accident on December 16.

Mr Edmondson added: “He is very sorry. He did return to the scene, it was not a situation of him trying to avoid anything. The consequences are going to be more serious than for most people.”

Philott was banned from driving for 12 months and fined �100 with �85 costs and a �15 surcharge.