Martin Winstanley, a 40-year-old father-of-two from Solihull, has sworn off alcohol entirely after being convicted of drink-driving following a family barbecue. He was stopped by police on Lea Village in Birmingham on June 7 and found to be 9 micrograms over the legal alcohol limit, with a breath test reading of 44 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath.
Court Appearance and Penalty
Winstanley, of Lambeth Close, pleaded guilty to drink-driving at Birmingham Magistrates Court on June 23. He received a 12-month driving ban and was ordered to pay £837 in fines and costs. The court heard he had been drinking at a BBQ with friends and family earlier that day and had no previous convictions.
Impact on Family and Work
His solicitor, Ms Begum, told the court: "Clearly this in itself has been a learning curve for him. He has stopped drinking in its entirety because of how stressful this has been." Winstanley works full-time as a sales worker, does school runs for his children, and helps care for his elderly parents. He broke down outside court, knowing the ban would disrupt these responsibilities.
No Prior Offences
The court noted Winstanley's clean record and his remorse. He has now completely given up alcohol, describing the experience as a significant turning point in his life.
