A fifteen-month prison sentence and a five-year ban will mean a 24-year-old drink-driver is unlikely to benefit from the cheap prices offered by specialist young driver car insurance firms.
Gareth Clark from Forest Hill pleaded guilty to charges of dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, driving with excess alcohol, failing to stop and driving without car insurance at Inner London Crown Court on January 25th 2006.
The court heard how Clark took his mother's Renault for a spin in November 2005, despite being three times over the legal alcohol limit and possessing no motor insurance. Police were alerted and a high-speed chase ensued, forcing two cars to swerve off the road and pedestrians to flee in panic.
The 24-year-old managed to avoid capture but was later discovered lying in a garage doorway. His defence lawyer, Harry Drummond, said Clark had been an alcoholic since the age of 15.
Mike Page, spokesman for Hoot Car Insurance Services explained how Clark’s sentence could affect his future, saying, "Normally we're able to offer a great price on young driver car insurance, but any individual with an endorsed licence does run the risk of having to pay more for their motor insurance."