Horsham pensioner, 80, banned from driving after downing 'shots' before going out to fetch milk

Police say that Deepak Kochar, 80, retired, of Bryce Close, Horsham, tested positive for 65mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

He was stopped by police at a petrol station in Crawley at 1.55am on Christmas Eve and told officers he had gone to the shop to fetch milk.

“But,” said a police spokesperson, “he had previously been out with friends to drink several shots of alcohol.”

He was banned from driving for 17 months and fined £120 when he appeared before Crawley Magistrates’ Court on January 16 and admitted drink-driving. He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £48 surcharge.

Police say that Kochar was one of 233 people in Sussex arrested as part of a national drink-drive campaign called Operation Limit.

The spokesperson said: “Those convicted and disqualified for their offences are being named to raise awareness of the issue and to provide a deterrent to other motorists from getting behind the wheel while intoxicated.

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“Meanwhile, our public campaign Drink Driving: Together We Can Stop It, continues to highlight the need for everyone to prevent, persuade and report drink-drivers to the police.”

Roads Policing Unit Superintendent Rachel Glenton said: “Our officers are determined to catch offenders on our roads before they cause serious harm to themselves or other road users.

“We patrol the county’s roads 24/7, every day of the year, and these results show that while we can’t be everywhere, we could be anywhere.”