Norfolk drink driver blocked in car park by public

Two vehicles were waiting at traffic lights on Victoria Road, Diss, when the Mazda car Michael Le Gros was driving approached at speed and smashed into the back of them.

Victoria Road, Diss (Image: Google Maps)Norwich Crown Court heard it resulted in the VW Jetta in front being shunted into the vehicle in front of it.

Norwich Crown Court (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)Le Gros, 27, then left the area "with his bumper hanging off", went through a red light and into the car park of The Original Factory Shop.

The Original Factory Shop in Diss (Image: Newsquest)Matthew Edwards, prosecuting, said after driving into the car park another member of the public who saw what had happened at the traffic lights blocked the exit.

He said Le Gros drove around the car park before crashing into a bollard at the store located on Victoria Road.

Police were called and Le Gros, was found to have 98mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath.

The legal limit is 35.

Le Gros, of Croft Lane, Diss, appeared at court on Monday (September 25) after admitting two counts of dangerous driving on October 9, 2022.

Cathy McCulloch, mitigating, said Le Gros was "extremely remorseful" and had taken steps to sort out his drinking problem by drastically reducing his intake.

She said he described himself as having been "out of order" and said he had told her he no longer wanted to drive.

Judge Andrew Shaw said the dangerous driving had been "prolonged, persistent and deliberate" and insisted had any of the people in the vehicles he crashed into been seriously injured then "you would be going to prison".

Judge Andrew Shaw (Image: Newsquest)
But in giving credit for his plea he imposed a 15 month sentence, suspended for two years as well as a 90-day alcohol abstinence and monitoring requirement, mental health treatment requirement and 100 hours unpaid work.

Le Gros was also disqualified from driving for three years.