FIL caught drink driving

If he was that much over the limit he's got zero chance of avoiding a ban.

This.

I think you just neeed to wait for it to play out. If you can’t stop DH using joint money then you don’t seem to have any options in that respect.

hes defensive and avoidant- just ignore him, it’s his coping method and you won’t change him. Justice will be done.

If he really thinks he doesn't deserve a ban let him fund his own defence. He clearly hasn't learnt and never will.

It means Fuck Around and Find Out. 😊

Fucked around and found out.

What is FAFO? I think I’ve seen it twice on this thread?

Don't give him any money. Tell your DH under no circumstances is he to give him money either. That money is for you and your DC, not to bail out your stupid FIL after he has FAFO'd.

Tell him you'll pay for any elderly relatives to come and visit in a taxi. He on the other hand can catch a bus.

And why on earth would you pay a solicitor for him? He was caught pissed behind the wheel and clearly not the first time. I hope they do take his licence.

I think you need to spell out in quite graphic terms to DH about how he would feel if his kids were killed by an drunk driver, and he found out that the family of the drunk driver not only knew he drunk drove and hadnt reported him, but also tried to help him get out of consequences

He will get banned.

There are guidelines the magistrates have to follow for the length of ban depending on what he blew at the station.

No point paying for a solicitor. The duty solicitor on the day of court will do as well as someone you pay £600 for.

This website is a really helpful resource.

www.forum.drinkdriving.org/

Looks like FIL needs to start saving up for his fine. What was his blood alcohol level?

Don't give him a penny. My late FIL said its one of the easiest crimes to prevent (either don't drink, or don't get in the car) and inexcusable. His daughter was nearly killed by a drunk driver (the driver was alone in the vehicle too - he hit her head on after speeding on the wrong side of the road). Left her permanently disabled and she is still suffering from the injuries sustained 30 years later. There is no excuse. My dad used to drink & drive with us kids in the car. I didn't realise how dangerous it was when I was a child but as an adult I'm horrified.

Agree 100

Do not pay anything, and I'm shocked your DH would consider doing so. To pay anything would be, in effect, condoning what he has done. I would at least point that out to DH, and no, if DH insists, it's with his money not family money.

However, as others have said, it's a waste of money as hopefully a court case will fail. I can't imagine on what grounds speeding and over the limit can be explained away...and what if he had an accident with MIL in the car?

Classic case of an elderly person who can't accept they're in the wrong, and take the consequences. And I say that as an older driver myself...

The last thing you want to be doing is helping him get off being banned. I don't care about drink drivers killing themselves, but one less on the road means reduced risk of them killing or maiming someone else.

This better save your money for Ubers for you if you want to go and see him as he won’t be driving to see you. And bloody glad he has been caught - a granddaughter of an alcoholic I’m glad he is caught and hope they throw away the key!

I'd be divorcing DH if he bailed his father out on this one. It's basically telling him his behaviour is perfectly acceptable.

I hope the selfish old bastard loses his licence. I HATE drink drivers.

Don’t give him a penny, he deserves to lose his licence!

Driving his car after downing 6 pints and speeding? He's got no chance of talking his way out of that, the arrogant fool. He's very fortunate he didn't cause an accident in which some innocent could have been injured or killed. No, I wouldn't help him to pay his legal costs either.

Don't give him any money and concentrate on helping GMIL if her son is no longer capable of doing so.

https://sentencingcouncil.org.uk/guidelines/excess-alcohol-driveattempt-to-drive-revised-2017/

Don’t fund him. You could be saving someone’s life. Honestly 6 pints is way over the limit. He needs to be off the road permanently.

If he has an amount he thinks you should spend on a solcitors tell him you will spend it on taxis for him to get to GMIL instead. Then he's on his own.

What an actual arse. he should be thanking his lucky stars he did not kill someone this Christmas. And all the times before.

As previous posters have said, it will be an automatic ban. Paying for a solicitor will be literally throwing money away. The only way a solicitor MIGHT be able to help would be if the breath test was borderline over, or if there was some failing in Police procedure. Having an elderly or vulnerable relative at home reliant on the driver is not a mitigating circumstance.

Some free legal tips can be found here: https://www.forum.drinkdriving.org/forums/free-legal-advice-drink-driving-england-wales.52/ But, as you will see, if you head over there, there is no excuse, no justification for driving over the limit.

He was caught, bang to rights, and no-one to blame but himself. The breath test results tell the whole story. And it's also worth bearing in mind that Magistrates and the judiciary in general take a particularly dim view of drink drivers who engage expensive solicitors to try and weasel out of the charges. Most effecting always are those who turn up to court, smartly dressed, apologetic and contrite. Depending on the breath reading, he may get offered a reduced ban with completion of a driver awareness course. But it will still be a ban.

Hopefully this is the wake-up call that stops FIL from killing someone. Because drink-drivers, and regular ones, are a ticking time-bomb - not a matter of if they will harm someone, sadly ever only a matter of when.

Sorry this has fallen onto you @CrazyGoatLady to worry about. Maybe time to set up an account with a local taxi firm, to cover GMIL's needs? Best wishes to you. x

Edited to add - FIL should also be prepared to see his name in the local paper as a possibility after court. Many local rags put a little inch or two of driving convictions in after the court dates, just to fill space.

You should have reported him sooner. Your kids being in the car or not is irrelevant.

And yes, I know it's hard, and you shouldn't have to. But I reported my own mother to the DVLA and took the keys off a workman who was built like a brick shithouse who was drunk in my home, so I know what I'm talking about.

Do not give this man any money and do not pander to him verbally. Tell him straight.