FOUR drink drivers are facing Christmas without a licence after they were pulled over during a campaign in North Yorkshire - and 17 people have been arrested in York.
Since the North Yorkshire Police operation was launched on December 1 with the help of actor Mark Charnock who plays Marlon Dingle in Emmerdale, 80 motorists have been arrested - and four have been banned from driving. There are more waiting in the wings to join them, warn police officers.
Out of the 80 arrests, 50 were for drink driving and 27 were for drug driving, with three people arrested on suspicion of both. A total of 17 of these arrests have been made in the York area.
Twenty-four of the arrests were made in Harrogate, six in Selby, 13 in Scarborough and five in Ryedale.
So far 31 of those arrested have been charged to court.
Three drivers have already appeared in court and have been disqualified from driving for between 12 and 20 months. A fourth, who was four times over the legal limit for alcohol, has been given an interim disqualification while her case goes through the courts.
It has also hit the offenders hard in their pockets, with a total of £1,999 worth of fines and costs handed out between three of them so far.
Superintendent Emma Aldred, of North Yorkshire Police’s Specialist Operations Department, said: “These drivers should consider themselves lucky. Lucky that all they are facing is a fine and disqualification. They could have been facing something far worse had we not stopped them before they could cause serious harm to a member of the public or themselves.
“We are a few weeks into the campaign and to see 80 arrests already is disheartening and a great concern. Despite the warnings, despite the widespread message of the damage and destruction drink and drug driving can cause, it is unbelievable that people still take the risk.
“It is unacceptable and we know that the majority of people in our communities agree with us. I would like to thank the people who continue to report their suspicions about people suspected of drink or drug driving. Please keep on calling it in as you really could save a life.”
The operation will continue over the Christmas and New Year period - with officers targeting the road network in marked and unmarked police vehicles.
If you suspect anyone drinks and drives or takes drugs and drives, please call the information on 101 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
If you suspect someone is about to drive under the influence of drink or drugs, please call us on 999.
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