Beeston: Banned Leeds driver caught with can of Stella and kebab behind the wheel
A banned driver blew nearly three times the alcohol limit while behind the wheel - and had an open can of Stella Artois and a kebab.
Benjamin Robinson was already on a suspended sentence for trying to bite a police officer at Leeds Railway Station.
But in the early hours of July 10, police patrolling Beeston spotted a Ford Focus almost run a red light near the junction of Middleton Grove and Dewsbury Road, so decided to pull the car over.
They saw Robinson eating a kebab, and when they reached him they found the open can of lager in the drinks holder.
Prosecutor Anthony Moore told Leeds Crown Court that Robinson was obstructive and uncooperative, but did provide a breath test. He blew 98 mcgs of alcohol in 100 mls of breath. The legal limit is 35 mcgs.
The also found that the 39-year-old was already banned from driving. Having been taken to the station, he then refused to provide an evidential breath test.
Robinson, of Summerfield Drive, Bramley, later admitted driving while banned, without insurance and refusing to provide a sample for analysis. He also admitted breaching his suspended sentence.
Mr Moore also said that Robinson had also twice failed to turn up for his unpaid work, as part of his punishment for the railway station incident.
He appeared in court this week via video link from HMP Hull. Mitigating, Philip Mahoney told the court: “He was given a chance and he has blown it. For the want of a better word, he has screwed up.
“He is philosophical about what he has done. He is determined to use the time he has in custody to do what he can.”
Judge Mushtaq Khokhar told Robinson: “You really have a bad record. I said [last time] that I would give you a last chance to see how you progress.
“There’s nothing else the court can do but activate the suspended sentence and impose a prison sentence.”
He jailed him for 16 weeks, and activated 20 weeks of his previous sentence, totaling 36 weeks. He also banned him from driving for three years and 18 weeks, on top of the 669 days he has left on a previous ban.