Banned Kettering drink-driver jailed after 'putting lives at risk'

A Kettering drink-driver who got behind the wheel despite a ban and crashed into a parked car has been locked up.

Police said Jack Michael Robin Oliver showed a ‘disregard of the law’ and put lives at risk after the incident earlier this year.

The 27-year-old was spotted driving a white Vauxhall Grandland X car along London Road on January 21, before police activated their blue lights and signalled for him to pull over because of his poor manner of driving.

But Oliver, of St John’s Road, failed to stop and instead drove further down the road before drifting across the road, clipping the kerb and colliding with a parked car. As officers approached the car he jumped into the rear seat and laid across his three passengers.

Once in custody he provided a breath sample of 81 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – the legal limit is 35 microgrammes – and he was charged with driving a motor vehicle when alcohol above the limit.

Further checks showed Oliver was also disqualified until he had passed his driving test and he was charged with driving whilst disqualified as well as driving on a road without due care and attention.

He pleaded guilty to all three offences and last month at Northampton Crown Court he was sentenced to seven months in prison, fined £187 and disqualified from driving for a further 15 months.

Arresting officer police constable Matt Taylor, of the north LPA response team, said: “Jack Oliver was already disqualified from driving, showing a complete disregard of the law and I am pleased the courts have dealt with him robustly.

“It was more by luck than judgement that Oliver’s actions did not cause a serious collision.

"He not only put his own life at risk but also those of his passengers and other innocent road users. Getting behind the wheel – more than two times over the limit – is dangerous and reckless.”