A 46-year-old man from Bury St Edmunds has been jailed after being caught over four-times the drink-drive limit in the town.

Promise Moyo appeared before Ipswich Magistrates’ Court today, Tuesday 15 January, where he pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol. He was sentenced to 18 weeks’ imprisonment and disqualified from driving for three years.

Police called yesterday at 2:55pm to reports from a member of the public of a Hyundai i40 car being driven erratically on Mount Road in Bury St Edmunds. Officers attended and stopped the vehicle near Risbygate Street at 3:02pm. The driver, Moyo was breathalysed at the roadside where he provided a positive test for excess alcohol. He was then arrested and taken to Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre where he provided a further breath test of 158 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. This was more than four-times the legal limit of 35 microgrammes.

Inspector Chris Hinitt, of the Serious Collision Investigation Team, said: ” I am completely shocked by the level of alcohol that Promise Moyo, had in his system. To get behind the wheel of a car when more than four-times the legal alcohol limit is absolutely astounding. Driving a licensed taxi cab in such circumstances clearly and directly imperils the lives of others.

“We in the Serious Collision Investigation Team – along with many other police colleagues – have seen too often the devastation caused by drink-driving and in my opinion it is completely reckless for anyone to take that risk.”