Drink driver jailed after hitting pedestrian in Attleborough
Norwich Crown Court. Picture: Adrian Judd - Credit: Archant
A drink driver who was about three and half times over the legal limit hit a pedestrian when he mounted the pavement in Attleborough High Street, a court heard.
Darius Giedraitis, 50, of Besthorpe Road, Attleborough, had been out celebrating his upcoming 50th birthday when he decided to drive the one mile back to his home at 9am on Saturday, May 20, Norwich Crown Court heard.
John Farmer, prosecuting, said Giedraitis was reported driving erratically along Leys Road and the High Street when he mounted the pavement and clipped a pedestrian.
The woman was not injured but Giedraitis was arrested as he as just parking his car in his drive.
Giedraitis, who had the help of a Lithuanian interpreter in court, admitted dangerous driving and also drink driving, and driving without a licence and without insurance
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The court heard he had a previous conviction for drink driving in September 2013 and suffered from alcohol problems.
Jailing him for six months and imposing a three year, three month driving ban, Recorder Guy Ayers told him: 'It is clear you have had problems with alcohol for some time,'
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He said on this occasion Giedraitis had driven his car while three and half times over the limit: 'You were driving through an area that was likely to have both road traffic and pedestrians. Your driving was of a poor standard and most specifically your car went up on the pavement and struck a pedestrian. Fortunately the pedestrian as not badly injured.'
Recorder Ayers said it was not the first time Giedraitis had been before the court for excess alcohol and warned: 'It seems to me when someone drives their motor car in the centre of Attleborough in the way that you did, in the condition in which you were in, and you struck a pedestrian it is inevitable that an immediate custodial sentence has to be passed.'
Andrew Shaw, for Giedraitis, said that Giedraitis was aware he had problems with alcohol but had gone out to celebrate his upcoming 50th birthday.
He said he had felt unwell and had decided to drive the short journey home.
