TWO Bradford men have pleaded guilty after getting caught drink driving by police during their festive crackdown.

Both were snared early on in West Yorkshire Police's festive Drink Drug Drive campaign running in recent weeks.

They were among a dozen confirmed and suspected drink drivers who appeared in Leeds Magistrates Court on December 23, with seven getting driving bans just two days before Christmas.

Simon Wray, 35, of Howard Street in Bradford city centre, was caught more than double the drink drive limit in Leeds city centre on November 30 while driving a Mini Cooper.
He admitted the offence and was fined a total of £591 and banned from driving for 20 months.

Adam Griffiths, 21, of Thorn Garth, Cleckheaton, also pleaded guilty to drink driving after being stopped in the Victoria Gate multi-storey car park in Leeds on December 4 and found to be over the drink drive limit.

While pleading guilty, he has been granted unconditional bail until a further hearing on May 13 as exceptional circumstances are being given to try avoid a driving disqualification.

Police said bans totalling £1,979 were dished out, along with 280 hours of community service, and that two offenders have since lost their jobs.

These were the first cases to be heard at special courts being set up in Bradford and Leeds to deal with drink drivers caught over the festive period, with plenty more to come.

The other drivers sentenced in court in Leeds yesterday were:

  • Daniel Flannigan, 45, Temple Avenue, Leeds - pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen of breath in Leeds on December 5. £180 fine, 26 month driving ban, 180 hours community service.
  • Sean Barker, 50, Ramshead Place, Leeds - pleaded guilty to drink driving in Leeds on December 7. Fined £239 and banned from driving for 14 months.
  • Kane Hardacre, 45, Fieldside Road, Pontefract - pleaded guilty to drink driving in Featherstone on December 4. Fined £359 and banned for 12 months.
  • Fiona Ettenfield, 35, Buckingham Court, Wakefield - pleaded guilty to failing to provide specimen of breath in Leeds on December 6. £180 fine, two year driving ban, 100 hours community service.
  • Jamie Gallant, 32, Frances Road, Dewsbury - pleaded guilty to drink driving (double the legal limit) in Wakefield on December 5. Fined £792, 17 month driving ban.
  • Scott Dixon, 32, Oakwell Road, Pontefract - pleaded guilty to drink driving (double limit) in Wakefield on December 5. Fined £239 and banned from driving for 22 months.