A Crewkerne man who was seen overtaking other cars on the A30 with a flat front tyre was then found to be more than three times over the drink drive limit

Fabio Romano tried to overtake the car being driven in front of him before pulling out and driving past two more vehicles while described as being “all over the road”.

When he pulled up at the entrance to Crewkerne cemetery, a witness could see he had been drinking, took the keys from the ignition and called the police.

Romano, 38, of Rose Lane, Crewkerne, pleaded guilty to driving a Toyota Yaris on Mount Pleasant in Crewkerne on April 30 after consuming excess alcohol when he appeared before Somerset Magistrates.

The court at Yeovil was told that a woman was driving her car along the A30 from Yeovil to Crewkerne at 9.30pm when she was being followed by the defendant in his car.

It approached the rear of her vehicle at speed and attempted to overtake her on a bend but pulled back in.

“He was travelling close to the rear of the witness’s car and was all over the road and then mounted the nearside bank,” said prosecutor Emma Lenanton.

“It then overtook the car and two other vehicles while the front nearside tyre was flat and then drove towards Crewkerne. His driving continued to be erratic and he eventually pulled up by the entrance to Crewkerne cemetery.

“The witness stopped and approached Romano’s car and knocked on the window to tell him his tyre was flat but he simply stared straight ahead.

“He turned up the music, wound down the window and she could then smell alcohol so took the keys from the ignition and the police were called.”

Romano was unsteady on his feet when he got out of his car and failed a roadside breath test and was arrested.

At the police station he took a further test and blew a reading of 112mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg of alcohol.

Probation officer Cheryl Steer said that the defendant went to a local restaurant for a coffee and offered to help them with some deliveries as it was busy.

“He was rewarded with a few drinks and does not remember leaving the restaurant but just recalls waking up in a police cell,” she said.

“He does not drink regularly, however takes full responsibility for making such a stupid decision and knows the severe consequences that could have happened.”

She added that Romano worked full time as a chef and he could lose his job now and would be devastated if given a custodial sentence as he didn’t know how he would cope.

Defending solicitor Bill Gayer said that his client was helping out as a favour to the restaurant and they then gave him some shots and he could not remember what he did after that.

“He is absolutely devastated by his behaviour and is very shocked,” he added.

Chair of the magistrates, Mary Ellis, told Romano it was a very high alcohol reading and he had obviously drunk a lot of alcohol without being aware of it.

“You showed a poor standard of driving and made the other driver feel very uncomfortable and concerned,” she said.

They banned the defendant from driving for 28 months and also sentenced him to a 12 month community order with a requirement to carry out 150 hours unpaid work.
