Driving under the influence on New Year’s Eve had dire consequences for South African Brenda Zitha – she now faces being deported from the UK.
The motorist pleaded guilty to drink driving in the Furness Magistrates’ Court on Monday after police noticed her Mercedes-Benz travelling erratically.
on Tuesday that a breath test found 60 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of her breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.
Police then discovered that she did not have a valid licence‚ had no insurance and had been living in the UK illegally since November 2015.
Duncan Nightingale‚ her legal representative‚ told the court that she had travelled to the UK on a six-month visa in May 2015 but the relationship ended‚ leaving her without enough money to return to South Africa.
She had purchased a 2003 model Mercedes without realising how expensive insurance would be in the UK.
“Insurance in South Africa is more relaxed. They are far hotter on driving without a licence than they are insurance so she thought it was something she could get round to doing without there being a rush to get it done immediately‚” he said.
The court disqualified her from driving for 17 months‚ endorsed her licence with six penalty points and ordered her to pay fines of £240‚ plus a victim surcharge of £30 and court costs of £85.
After her sentencing‚ Zitha was taken back to the police station. She will now be moved to a detention centre while immigration officials launch an investigation into her illegal stay in the UK. – Tiso Black Star Group Digital
SA motorist could be deported from the UK after being pulled over for driving erratically
The motorist pleaded guilty to drink driving in the Furness Magistrates’ Court on Monday after police noticed her Mercedes-Benz travelling erratically.
on Tuesday that a breath test found 60 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of her breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.
Police then discovered that she did not have a valid licence‚ had no insurance and had been living in the UK illegally since November 2015.
Duncan Nightingale‚ her legal representative‚ told the court that she had travelled to the UK on a six-month visa in May 2015 but the relationship ended‚ leaving her without enough money to return to South Africa.
She had purchased a 2003 model Mercedes without realising how expensive insurance would be in the UK.
“Insurance in South Africa is more relaxed. They are far hotter on driving without a licence than they are insurance so she thought it was something she could get round to doing without there being a rush to get it done immediately‚” he said.
The court disqualified her from driving for 17 months‚ endorsed her licence with six penalty points and ordered her to pay fines of £240‚ plus a victim surcharge of £30 and court costs of £85.
After her sentencing‚ Zitha was taken back to the police station. She will now be moved to a detention centre while immigration officials launch an investigation into her illegal stay in the UK. – Tiso Black Star Group Digital
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