VIDEO: Woman, 50, refuses to take ‘humiliating’ breath test

Irena Williams was arrested at 7.50pm on June 2 after her Volkswagen Polo collided with a Toyota Avensis in Royal Parade, Eastbourne.

She failed a roadside breath test but when officers took her into custody to be tested again, Williams refused to use the equipment and accused officers of “bullying” her by asking her to do it.

Footage recorded inside the custody suite shows how officers tried to explain that she would be committing an offence if she did not give them a sample of her breath.

Williams, of Cromarty Walk, Eastbourne, pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen for analysis when she appeared at Hastings Magistrates’ Court on June 17.

She was banned from driving for 16 months, fined £110 and ordered to pay £195 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

A total of nine people have so far been convicted of offences as part of Sussex Police’s summer crackdown on drink and drug-driving across the county this month.

John Barker, 41, was arrested at 6.45pm on Monday, June 1 after he pulled out in a Renault Laguna in front of a police car, forcing the officer at the wheel to brake sharply to avoid a crash in Holland Road, Hove.

When officers inspected Barker’s car they found his windscreen was cracked and one of his tyres was dangerously worn. A sofa was also hanging out of the back of the car.

Checks revealed the driver had an expired licence and that he had served three bans for drink-driving. Tests then showed the 41-year-old had 82 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millitres of his breath - more than twice the 35 microgrammes legal limit.

Barker, of Adelaide Crescent, Hove, pleaded guilty to drink-driving, driving without a licence, driving without insurance and driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition when he appeared at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on June 23.

He was banned from driving for 40 months, fined £220 and ordered to pay £235 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

Car dealer Simon Shanly was arrested at 12.10am on June 2 after his Ford Mondeo crossed onto the wrong side of the A27 at Arundel as he went over a hill and crashed into a Nissan Note coming in the opposite direction.

When officers arrived, Shanly had fled the scene but they found him apparently sleeping in a puddle in a patch of trees nearby. The 52-year-old could not stand on his own, was slurring his words and his eyes were glazed.

Tests then showed Shanly had 98 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millitres of his breath - almost three times the legal limit.

Shanly, of Church Road, Yapton, pleaded guilty to drink-driving and driving without insurance when he appeared at Worthing Magistrates’ Court on June 18.

He was banned from driving for 48 months and ordered to do 160 hours of community service. He was also ordered to pay £235 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

Christian Small was arrested at 2.30am on June 2 after he crashed his Citroen C2 into parked vehicles in Old London Road, Hastings.

The 23-year-old admitted he had gone out drinking and had decided to drive home. He had 112 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of his breath - more than three times the legal limit.

Small, of Hill Road, Fairlight, pleaded guilty to drink-driving when he appared at Hastings Magistrates’ Court on June 17.

He was banned from driving for 26 months, fined £110 and ordered to pay £150 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

John Darke was arrested at 2.40pm on June 4 in Lewes Road, Brighton, after officers were tipped off that he could be drink-driving in his Volkswagen Caddy.

The 50-year-old had previously served two driving bans - one for drink-driving and one for failing to provide a specimen for analysis.

When stopped in Brighton he had 54 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of his breath - more than 1.5 times the legal limit.

Darke, of Preston Road, Brighton, pleaded guilty to drink-driving when he appeared at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on June 18.

He was banned from driving for 36 months, fined £110 and ordered to pay £235 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

People in Sussex can text officers on 65999 with the details of people they suspect of drink or drug driving or visit www.operationcrackdown.co.uk.

You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

To keep up to date with officers looking for drink or drug drivers, follow #opdragonfly on Twitter.

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

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