Suspected drink driver narrowly avoids prison after being stopped in Leamington

A suspected drink driver from Whitnash narrowly avoided prison after refusing to provide a specimen.

Police were called by CCTV operators after they suspected that a driver was drink driving down High Street in Leamington at about 1.20am on December 9.

Officers stopped the vehicle in Clemens Street and charged Makhan Negra, who police said deliberately failed to provide a specimen for analysis.

The 61-year-old of Coppice Road appeared in court on Friday January 19.

Warwickshire Police said: "His offence of deliberately failing to provide a specimen for analysis was considered so serious that only a custodial sentence could be justified. He received an eight-week prison sentence suspended for six months.

"If he is to avoid going to jail Makhan must comply with a 15-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement within the supervision period." He was also disqualified from driving for 32 months, and ordered to pay £135 costs and £154 Victim Surcharge.