'Naive' e-scooter rider pleads guilty to drink-driving

Kieron Pope, 24, did not realise he was committing any offence, magistrates in King's Lynn heard on Thursday.

But the court was reminded that traffic offences can be committed on e-scooters in the same way as any other motorised vehicle.

Prosecutor Denise Holland told the court: “To drive one on any public road you have to have the relevant licence and insurance.”

Pope was stopped by police in London Road in Lynn on April 20 and arrested following a positive breath test.

In custody he blew 73 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Pope, of St Edmundsbury Road, King's Lynn, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified, drink-driving and having no insurance.

He had been banned from driving for three years and given a suspended sentence in September 2019 for offences including driving while disqualified and failing to provide a breath sample.

Charlotte Winchester, mitigating, said her client was like a lot of people who were still unaware of the law surrounding the use of e-scooters.

“These offences were committed out of naivety. He had no idea buying the scooter would land him in so much trouble today,” she added.

For driving while disqualified, Pope was given 16 weeks’ custody, suspended for 24 months.

And for drink-driving, he received 12 weeks’ custody, also suspended for two years.

He was disqualified from driving for 40 months and ordered to do 100 hours’ unpaid work.

Pope was told to pay £128 victim surcharge.

Under the Road Traffic Act, electric scooters or e-scooters come under the category of 'powered transporters', which fall within the legal definition of a motor vehicle under the 1988 Act - meaning the rules that apply to motor vehicles also apply to e-scooters.

Norfolk Constabulary has a page dedicated to e-scooter laws, which says police have powers to stop users for careless or dangerous driving, as well as drug-driving and drink-driving on a trail scooter.