Chichester care assistant convicted of drink driving

Police said Gale Strudwick, 49, a care assistant, of Sherborne Road, Chichester, was arrested in Sherborne Road on December 15 and charged with driving with 115mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in her system.

A police spokesman added: "At Worthing Magistrates’ Court on January 4, she was disqualified from driving for 28 months. She was also ordered to pay a £276 fine, £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge."

This conviction is among 39 made so far following Surrey and Sussex Police's drink and drug-driving 'Christmas crackdown campaign'.

The total also included an unemployed Ryan Morris, of Bradshaw Road, Chichester, who police said was disqualified from driving for 36 months.

Police said Morris, 23, was arrested in Bradshaw Road on December 17.

The spokesman said: [He was] charged with failing to provide a specimen of breath when suspected of having driven a vehicle, driving with no insurance and driving with no licence.

"At Worthing Magistrates’ Court on January 8, he was disqualified from driving for 36 months and fined £120."

Meanwhile, police revealed that Mark Ellwood, 48, a manager, of Cavendish Street, Chichester, was disqualified from driving for 12 months.

The spokesman said: "[Ellwood] was arrested in Priory Road, Chichester, on December 22 and charged with driving with 50mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system.

"At Worthing Magistrates’ Court on January 15, he was disqualified from driving for 12 months. He was also ordered to pay a £400 fine, £85 costs and a £40 victim surcharge."

Sussex Police said a total of 240 arrests were made in the county during its campaign, which ran from December 1, 2018 to January 1, 2019.

The spokesman said: "Of these, 57 have so far been convicted. A further 36 have been charged to attend court, and the remaining have either been released under investigation pending further enquiries or released without charge.

"Details of people convicted as part of the campaign will be published on our website.

"If you’re prepared to drive under the influence of drink or drugs, prepare to face the consequences. These could include the following; a minimum 12 month ban; an unlimited fine; a possible prison sentence; a criminal record, which could affect your current and future employment; an increase in your car insurance; trouble travelling to countries such as the USA."

Police said people in Sussex can text officers on 65999 with the details of people they suspect of drink or drug-driving, or visit the Operation Crackdown website.

"You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or report it online," the spokesman continued.

"If you know someone is driving while over the limit or after taking drugs, call 999."