Just a week after we reported on a spate of drink-drivers in the area, magistrates have dealt with four cases in the South Hams area.

Within the circulation area of our newspapers, two people appeared in court charged with drink driving, and a warrant was issued for the arrest of an alleged drink driver who failed to appear in court.

Charles Denny, 31, was pulled over by police in July, after being accused of stalking his ex-girlfriend. A breathalyser test revealed the supermarket worker had 85mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg.

He pleaded guilty to stalking without fear and drink-driving at a court hearing on August 1. Magistrates this week warned Denny, who had no previous convictions, that stalking often carried a custodial sentence.

But the bench decided to punish him with a 12-month community order which will involve 200 hours of unpaid work and 15 rehabilitation days.

They also banned him from driving for 18-months for drink-driving and ordered him to pay £170 in court costs. A restraining order, prohibiting him from contacting Ms Cann or entering Plymouth Road in Buckfastleigh, was also imposed.

Also in court this week was Charleen McCormick, 46, of Weston Lane, Bridgetown, Totnes. She was charged with drink-driving near Bodmin after she told police officers who pulled her over that she was driving home to Totnes but had no idea where she was.

McCormick had drunk more than twice the legal limit when she was pulled over on the A30 near Bodmin, Philip Sewell, prosecuting, told magistrates.

Police had stopped her following a number of reports about her driving after members of the public warned that she was “swerving all over the road”.

Mr Sewell said she “stumbled out of the car” towards traffic when she was stopped and then told police she “could not explain where she was”.

She was arrested and taken to Charles Cross police station in Plymouth where a breath test showed she had 81mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg.

McCormick was banned from driving for 20 months after she appeared in Newton Abbot Court where she admitted drink-driving in Bodmin on May 19 this year. She was also fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Phillip Miles, in mitigation, told magistrates that McCormick was taking anti depressants and had stopped going to Alcoholics Anonymous – which she had been attending for more than ten years.

Another Totnes resident, a 31-year-old man, has lost his job and his chance of attending his sister’s wedding after he was caught drink driving.

Samuel Wootton told police after they pulled him over: “I have had two Becks. I won’t be over the limit,” magistrates at Newton Abbot Court were told.

But a breath test told a different story as Wootton was found to have 50mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath – when the legal limit is 35mg.

Wootton of Elmhirst Drive, Totnes, was banned from driving for 14 months after he admitted the drink driving offence near Kingsbridge on July 28.

Wootton, who was also fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 in court costs and a £30 victim surcharge, told magistrates: “I am aware that if I lose my licence I lose my job.”

He also told the court that his sister was due to get married on the Island of St Lucia in January but following the criminal conviction he would not be able to attend.

“It’s my own fault,” he told the court.

Philip Sewell, prosecuting, said that Wootton had been stopped by police at 12.30am as he drove along the A381 in the direction of Totnes.

He said the officer had been “concerned about the quality of his driving” when they pulled him over.

Wootton told police he had been out with some work mates in Kingsbridge.

Wootton, who was not represented, told magistrates he lived with his partner and her child in Totnes.

He said he had to get to work in Kingsbridge at 7am each morning and without a car there was no other way of getting there.

“I thought I was under the limit,” he told the court. “I cannot defend myself because the evidence shows that I was over the limit.”

On the same day, a warrant was issued for the arrest of a 51-year-old man from Totnes after he failed to show up at Newton Abbot Court.

Andrew Hatch of Apple Wharf, The Plains, Totnes, was due to appear before magistrates accused of drink driving in Torbay Road, Paignton, on August 14 with an alcohol level of 97mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath when the limit is 35mg.

He was also charged with failing to stop after an accident in which a canopy post attached to the Gand Central bar in Paignton was damaged.

The magistrates issued the warrant not backed with bail after being told that Hatch had failed to show up at court to answer the charges.

PC Richard Loxton, based in Kingsbridge, said last week: “Drink driving is a crime and there is no excuse for it.

“I have attended too many scenes where drink drivers have abruptly cut short the lives of innocent people. I’ve had to tell parents, children, grandparents, that their relative isn’t coming home because someone chose to drink and drive that day.

“It never gets easier to understand why people would get behind the wheel of a metric tonne of metal while under the influence. You are essentially driving a lethal weapon.

“If you drink and drive you could lose your licence, your job, your family, and you could take a life. Being in charge of a vehicle whilst over the legal limit or unfit through drink could result in three months imprisonment, a fine of up to £2,500 and a driving ban.

“Make no mistake. Drink driving ruins lives.”

Just a week after we reported on a spate of drink-drivers in the area, magistrates have dealt with four cases in the South Hams area.

Within the circulation area of our newspapers, two people appeared in court charged with drink driving, and a warrant was issued for the arrest of an alleged drink driver who failed to appear in court.

Charles Denny, 31, was pulled over by police in July, after being accused of stalking his ex-girlfriend. A breathalyser test revealed the supermarket worker had 85mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg.

He pleaded guilty to stalking without fear and drink-driving at a court hearing on August 1. Magistrates this week warned Denny, who had no previous convictions, that stalking often carried a custodial sentence.

But the bench decided to punish him with a 12-month community order which will involve 200 hours of unpaid work and 15 rehabilitation days.

They also banned him from driving for 18-months for drink-driving and ordered him to pay £170 in court costs. A restraining order, prohibiting him from contacting Ms Cann or entering Plymouth Road in Buckfastleigh, was also imposed.

Also in court this week was Charleen McCormick, 46, of Weston Lane, Bridgetown, Totnes. She was charged with drink-driving near Bodmin after she told police officers who pulled her over that she was driving home to Totnes but had no idea where she was.

McCormick had drunk more than twice the legal limit when she was pulled over on the A30 near Bodmin, Philip Sewell, prosecuting, told magistrates.

Police had stopped her following a number of reports about her driving after members of the public warned that she was “swerving all over the road”.

Mr Sewell said she “stumbled out of the car” towards traffic when she was stopped and then told police she “could not explain where she was”.

She was arrested and taken to Charles Cross police station in Plymouth where a breath test showed she had 81mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg.

McCormick was banned from driving for 20 months after she appeared in Newton Abbot Court where she admitted drink-driving in Bodmin on May 19 this year. She was also fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Phillip Miles, in mitigation, told magistrates that McCormick was taking anti depressants and had stopped going to Alcoholics Anonymous – which she had been attending for more than ten years.

Another Totnes resident, a 31-year-old man, has lost his job and his chance of attending his sister’s wedding after he was caught drink driving.

Samuel Wootton told police after they pulled him over: “I have had two Becks. I won’t be over the limit,” magistrates at Newton Abbot Court were told.

But a breath test told a different story as Wootton was found to have 50mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath – when the legal limit is 35mg.

Wootton of Elmhirst Drive, Totnes, was banned from driving for 14 months after he admitted the drink driving offence near Kingsbridge on July 28.

Wootton, who was also fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 in court costs and a £30 victim surcharge, told magistrates: “I am aware that if I lose my licence I lose my job.”

He also told the court that his sister was due to get married on the Island of St Lucia in January but following the criminal conviction he would not be able to attend.

“It’s my own fault,” he told the court.

Philip Sewell, prosecuting, said that Wootton had been stopped by police at 12.30am as he drove along the A381 in the direction of Totnes.

He said the officer had been “concerned about the quality of his driving” when they pulled him over.

Wootton told police he had been out with some work mates in Kingsbridge.

Wootton, who was not represented, told magistrates he lived with his partner and her child in Totnes.

He said he had to get to work in Kingsbridge at 7am each morning and without a car there was no other way of getting there.

“I thought I was under the limit,” he told the court. “I cannot defend myself because the evidence shows that I was over the limit.”

On the same day, a warrant was issued for the arrest of a 51-year-old man from Totnes after he failed to show up at Newton Abbot Court.

Andrew Hatch of Apple Wharf, The Plains, Totnes, was due to appear before magistrates accused of drink driving in Torbay Road, Paignton, on August 14 with an alcohol level of 97mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath when the limit is 35mg.

He was also charged with failing to stop after an accident in which a canopy post attached to the Gand Central bar in Paignton was damaged.

The magistrates issued the warrant not backed with bail after being told that Hatch had failed to show up at court to answer the charges.

PC Richard Loxton, based in Kingsbridge, said last week: “Drink driving is a crime and there is no excuse for it.

“I have attended too many scenes where drink drivers have abruptly cut short the lives of innocent people. I’ve had to tell parents, children, grandparents, that their relative isn’t coming home because someone chose to drink and drive that day.

“It never gets easier to understand why people would get behind the wheel of a metric tonne of metal while under the influence. You are essentially driving a lethal weapon.

“If you drink and drive you could lose your licence, your job, your family, and you could take a life. Being in charge of a vehicle whilst over the legal limit or unfit through drink could result in three months imprisonment, a fine of up to £2,500 and a driving ban.

“Make no mistake. Drink driving ruins lives.”