Nottingham rugby player was more than twice the legal limit when he died
A Nottingham Rugby player was more than twice the legal limit and driving without his seatbelt when he drunkenly crashed his car and died last year, an inquest has heard.
Former Nottingham Rugby Club player, Mitchell Todd, 21, was found in his car in a field near Normanton-on-the-Wolds in south Nottinghamshire last August by a member of the public.
Today an inquest heard that his blood-alcohol reading was 172mg of alcohol per 100mls. The legal driving limit is 80mg.
Empty bottles of wine and cans of beer were also found in the vehicle alongside the player.
A post mortem examination confirmed Todd, who represented Scotland under 20s in last season's Six Nations, died as a result of a catastrophic brain injury which he could not have survived.
115 people were arrested, that is 2 less than the year before, a result welcomed by police officers Credit: ITV Central
Almost 6,000 people were breathalysed as part of last month's drink and drug drive campaign in Northamptonshire. That is almost double the number the previous year.
Police arrested 115 people, that is 2 less than the year before, a result welcomed by police officers.
More Leicestershire drink drivers caught the morning after
Chief Inspector Steve Potter from Leicestershire Police said despite less drivers being caught over the limit in 2012, compared to 2011, more of those drivers tested positive the morning after.
98 people were over the limit during tests last year, which is a reduction of 10 from the previous year.
A total of 135 motorists were arrested for being over the limit during the annual drink drive campaign in Nottinghamshire.
The campaign ran throughout December and over the New Year in which officers stopped motorists suspected of driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
A substantial number of motorists out there continue to drink and drive regardless of the consequences – risking their own lives and that of others by doing so.
As the figures show many drivers didn’t heed our warnings and are now facing a hefty fine, a lengthy driving ban and even a spell behind bars.
100 drivers were arrested during Lincolnshire's drink drive campaign Credit: PA
100 drivers were arrested for drink or drug related offences in Lincolnshire in December.
In the first three days of the campaign eight people were arrested and over the course of the month, an average of three drivers were arrested each day.
Nationally, 25 per cent of all road deaths involves the driver being under the influence of alcohol and 2011 saw the first increase in drink drive collisions since 2002.
86 arrested for drink driving in December Credit: John Giles/PA Wire/Press Association Images
Leicestershire Police say a total of 86 people have been arrested for being over the legal alcohol limit whilst in charge of a motor vehicle in the past month.
Superintendent Jim Holyoak, Road Policing Unit at Leicestershire Police said:
“No officer wants to have to knock on someone’s door and deliver the message that a loved one has died or been seriously injured at the hands of a drink driver.”
If you drink alcohol we will catch up with you, we are determined to make our roads safer and this starts by removing those individuals who recklessly drink and drive on our roads.”
