Man, 51, drank five cans of Stella before driving his Range Rover over another car in Northamptonshire village

A 51-year-old man has been sentenced after he drank five cans of Stella before driving his Range Rover over one car and into another in a Northamptonshire village.

Philip Weston, of East Street, Long Buckby, appeared at Northampton Magistrates’ Court for sentencing on February 1, after pleading guilty to drink driving.

Weston was arrested at 10.45pm on Wednesday, December 6, 2023 following a road traffic collision in Main Street, East Haddon, where he drove his black Range Rover Vogue over a parked BMW M2 series, before colliding with a parked pink Fiat 500 Lounge.

The driver told police officers that he had lost control of his vehicle as he went round a corner, causing it to skid for unknown reasons. Despite the damage to the front of his own vehicle, Weston attempted to drive off from the collision with the BMW, which is when he collided with the second parked car, before becoming embedded into a wall, according to police.

At the scene, Weston told officers that he had drunk five standard sized cans of Stella Artois beer during the evening and had been driving home after visiting a relative in Kingsthorpe.

Arresting officer, PC Michael Hollowell of the force’s Roads Policing Team, said: “We see the devastating effects drink and drug driving can have and therefore it is extremely disappointing that some people still choose to ignore our advice and break the law in this way.

“Getting behind the wheel – more than three times over the limit – is not just selfish, but dangerous and reckless and Weston is fortunate that his actions didn’t kill or seriously injure someone.

“Reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads remains the priority for Northamptonshire Police and our partners at the Northamptonshire Safer Roads Alliance, and we will continue to robustly keep such irresponsible drivers off our roads.”

Weston was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for one year, and disqualified from driving for 30 months. He was also ordered to pay £85 court costs and £154 victim surcharge as well as complete a rehabilitation activity and a 120-day alcohol abstinence requirement.