Harrogate drink driver banned from road for more than three years

A 35-year-old Harrogate man has been handed a second driving ban for drink driving, just ten months after serving his previous sentence.
Diego Filipe has been banned from driving for 40 months.Diego Filipe has been banned from driving for 40 months.
Diego Filipe has been banned from driving for 40 months.

Diego Miguel Ferrera Filipe, of Claro Road, appeared at Harrogate Magistrates’ Court on Monday and was banned from driving for 40 months, was ordered to pay more than £700 in fines and costs and to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.

Police said they hoped his sentence would be a stark reminder to motorists that drink driving will not be tolerated in North Yorkshire.

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Filipe, who has a previous conviction for drink driving in May 2015, had been back on the road for ten months, after serving a ten-month driving ban when he was stopped by police on the A59 near Knaresborough in the early hours of Sunday, July 16 last year.

Officers were alerted to his erratic driving on the A648 near Huby by a member of the public, allowing police to track him down.

When he was pulled over, Filipe failed a roadside breath test and was arrested on suspicion of driving with alcohol over the specified limit.

He was taken back to Harrogate Police Station, where he failed to provide a breath specimen for analysis and was subsequently charged with the offence.

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In court this week, Filipe pleaded guilty to failing to provide a breath specimen for analysis.

After the hearing, North Yorkshire Police Traffic Constable David Minto said: “Firstly I’d like to thank the member of the public who contacted police to report Filipe’s driving. I’m sure her quick actions prevented a potentially devastating incident from occurring that morning.

“It’s clear to see that Diego Filipe is a repeat offender and has not learned from his previous drink driving conviction. To have been stopped for the same offence, after only having his licence back for ten months beggars belief. He clearly has no regard for the safety of others on the road, or himself.

“This sentence should be a stark reminder to him and other motorists of a like mind, that this irresponsible and selfish behaviour will not be tolerated on the roads of North Yorkshire.”