Four more people will be in court on Christmas Eve after being charged with drink-driving in Essex, with magistrates court in the north and south of the county being busy.

Gareth Driscoll was arrested outside his home in Basildon shortly after midnight today (Saturday, December 21) and has now been charged with one count of failing to provide a specimen of breath and one count of being in possession of a Class A drug. The 50-year-old scaffolder from Homestead Drive is currently on police bail prior to his appearance at Basildon Magistrates Court.

Joining him at the same court on Christmas Eve will be Andrew Wood. The 31-year-old financial broker from Richmond Road in Twickenham was stopped while driving his Audi R8 on Queensway in Southend shortly after 3am on Saturday, December 21. He has been charged with one count of driving while under the influence of alcohol. He too is now on police bail until his court appearance.

Ryan Mead was arrested a short distance away from his home in Sible Hedingham shortly after 1:30am on Saturday, December 21 and later charged with one count of driving while under the influence of alcohol. He is now on police bail until his appearance at Colchester Magistrates Court. 

The fourth individual is due to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates Court. James Tyler was arrested after being found in his car which itself was in a ditch off Church Lane in Little Baddow shortly before 6:30am on Saturday, December 21. The 25-year-old security guard was later charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol. He is also on police bail until his court appearance.

Essex Police’s Christmas drink-drive awareness and enforcement campaign continues for a further 10 days. So far in December (up to midnight Friday, December 20), officers have carried out 2,536 breath tests with 79 people charged with drink-driving related offences.

Essex Police continues to ask people to help them keep the county’s roads safe by giving them information about motorists who they believe to be drunk behind the wheel. Anyone with such information should contact police by dialling 999 or 101 for those suspected of being regular drink-drivers but who have not yet taken to the roads.

The next and final set of the force’s campaign figures will be issued during the week commencing Monday, January 6.