Zeeshan Choudhary was killed in June last year

Carer loses licence after drink-driving

by Sukran Sahin, Senior Reporter Saturday, April 7, 2012
5:17 PM

»The partner and full-time carer of a wheelchair-bound woman wept in the dock as he was convicted for drink-driving on Thursday.

Phillip Gatt, 45, of Bastable Avenue, Barking, was banned from driving for three years after pleading guilty to driving with excess alcohol before Redbridge magistrates.

It was his third conviction of this type in less than 10 years.

The court heard how police were called to Bastable Avenue, where they were dealing with a road traffic inquiry, at 9pm on February 6.

The crown prosecutor told the bench officers heard the sound of a camper van travelling towards them at speed.

Skidded

When they ordered the driver to stop, he had to hit the brake hard and skidded.

Tests in the police station revealed Gatt had an alcohol level of 92 milligrammes in 100 millilitres of blood.

The legal limit is 80mg.

Gatt’s counsel said hospital trips for his wheelchair-bound partner, who accompanied him to court, would be of “utmost difficulty”.

But chairwoman of the bench, Anne Martin, said: “Unfortunately, there’s no discretion with regard to the driving ban which, because of your previous record, is three years.”

Gatt was ordered to pay a fine of £100 and £85 towards prosecution costs, as well as a £15 victims’ surcharge.