Boxing Day stop sees man banned for 20 months
A man went off on his motorbike after a disagreement with his girlfriend and was more than double the drink-drive limit when police stopped him in the early hours of Boxing Day.
Martins Ritenis (26) had only travelled a short distance from his home in High Street, Spalding, to Victoria Street and was stopped when police saw him “struggling” with the bike.
Jim Clare, prosecuting, said officers smelled alcohol on his breath.
A police station test later showed he had 78 microgrammes of alcohol in breath – the legal limit is 35mcgs.
Ritenis pleaded guilty to riding the motorbike with excess alcohol in breath, riding without insurance, having no MOT and riding the bike without the appropriate licence.
He was banned from driving for 20 months and fined £320 for the excess alcohol offence.
Magistrates on Thursday decided he can cut five months off the ban if he completes a rehabilitation course.
His licence was endorsed for the insurance offence and he received no separate penalties for the other offences.
Ritenis must pay £85 costs and a £32 victim surcharge.
Solicitor Rachel Stevens, mitigating, said Ritenis bought the bike shortly before the offences.
He spent Christmas Day at home with his girlfriend, but they had a disagreement and he decided to go to his brother’s home in Victoria Street and jumped on the motorbike instead of walking.
She said: “It was a very stupid decision. He accepts that. He was over the limit and he didn’t have the necessary documentation for the bike.
“He is extremely remorseful about this and feels stupid for doing it, very irresponsible.”
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Weather for Spalding
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 13 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 13 C to 16 C
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