Student speeding at 120 mph on the A23 was '˜almost twice over the limit'

The incident came to light at about 1pm on Thursday June 30 when officers on patrol in an unmarked vehicle became aware of a silver Volkswagen Golf travelling at speed on the A23 southbound near Albourne.

They followed the car and signalled for it to pull over in a layby just past the junction of the A2300.

The driver, Anderson Bell, was arrested and taken to Brighton Police Station where he was charged with driving with 68mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system and speeding. The legal drink-drive limit is 35mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

The 25-year-old, of Western Road, Brighton, pleaded guilty at Brighton Magistrates’ Court and was banned from driving for 18 months. He was also ordered to pay a £240 fine, £85 costs and a £85 victim surcharge.

A number of other motorists have also been convicted of drink and drug-driving related offences in Sussex in the past two weeks.

They include Darren Pattenden, 49, a builder, who lives off the A275 in South Chailey. He was arrested in Mill Lane, South Chailey, on June 10 and charged with driving with 90mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system.

At Brighton Magistrates’ Court he was disqualified from driving for 48 months. He was also ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work in the next 12 months, and pay £85 costs and a £85 victim surcharge.

Jason Murray, 27, a builder, of Lower Faircox, Henfield, was arrested in High Street, Henfield, on une 17 and charged with driving with 55mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system, possession of MDMA and driving with no insurance.

He pleaded guilty at Worthing Magistrates’ Court and was disqualified from driving for 36 months. He was also ordered to carry out 50 hours of unpaid work in the next 12 months, and pay a £85 fine and a £85 victim surcharge.

Tibor Kovacs, 36, a warehouseman, of Goffs Park Road, Crawley, was arrested in Woodfield Road, Crawley, on June 26 and charged with driving with 58mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system and driving with no insurance.

He pleaded guilty at Crawley Magistrates’ Court and was disqualified from driving for 15 months. He was also ordered to pay a £370 fine, £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

To date, a total of 71 motorists have now been convicted as part of Operation Dragonfly, Surrey and Sussex Police’s summer crackdown on drink and drug-drivers, which ran from June 6 to July 10.

Police say that people in Sussex can text officers on 65999 with the details of people they suspect of drink or drug driving or visit www.operationcrackdown.co.uk.

You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 (www.crimestoppers-uk.org).