Drink driver praises police and makes a donation to charity

Police in Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon have received a compliment from an unusual source – a motorist they had arrested for drink driving.
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The driver has also made a donation through the police to help others who are on the journey of recovery from addiction.

A PSNI spokesperson revealed how last year, a man was arrested in the Richhill area after reports of erratic driving from concerned members of the public.

He was found to have been driving with excess alcohol in his breath and was charged to court with a £500 surety. When he was later found guilty of the charge he was sentenced to a year’s disqualification from driving and a £315 fine.

The man did not want the £185 balance of his surety back.The man did not want the £185 balance of his surety back.
The man did not want the £185 balance of his surety back.

The spokesperson told how the investigating officer made contact with the man to return the £185 balance of his surety, but surprisingly he did not want his money back. He asked instead that the money be donated to a charity of PSNI’s choice.

Inspector Tate said: “The man thanked the investigating officer and praised the professional treatment he received from PSNI. I was pleased to hear that this man had received addiction treatment following his arrest and is now doing well in an aftercare programme.

"I am proud of our officers and staff in their approach. Anyone can become vulnerable at some stage in their lives and it is vital that the right support is provided when vulnerable people come into contact with us whether they are a victim, suspect or witness.

"Everyone is worthy of our respect and the service we provide to all those we deal with must be of the highest standards when we pursue positive criminal justice outcomes.

"I am delighted to say that we will be donating the money to The Right Key, Loughbrickland. This is a fantastic local resource which supports those suffering from addiction on their recovery journey.

“If you feel that you, or someone you know, need support with addiction, a directory of local services can be found here.”