IN COURT: 12 drivers sentenced after Christmas crackdown on drink driving in Northamptonshire

Northamptonshire Police launched its annual, month-long drink and drug driving campaign over the festive period on December 1, 2024.

As part of the crackdown those caught driving over the legal limit will be publicly named on the Northamptonshire Police website and social media, and in this newspaper. This is a hard-line approach the force has taken over recent years.

Over the course of the 2024 Christmas campaign, officers arrested 134 drivers. Of those, 94 were on suspicion of driving while over the prescribed limit for alcohol, 39 while unfit through drugs and one on suspicion of drink and drug driving. A number have already appeared in court and some have been sentenced.

Court results for those charged during the first week of the campaign (December 1 – 7):

• Maxim Ganaciuc, aged 35, of Charles Street, Wellingborough, was disqualified from driving for 20 months and fined £230 after pleading guilty to driving a motor vehicle when the alcohol level was above the limit at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Monday, December 16. Ganaciuc was arrested while driving a blue BMW car in Tintern Avenue, Northampton, at about 12.40am on Sunday, December 1, and charged after providing an evidential reading of 78 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – the legal limit is 35 micrograms. He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and £184 victim surcharge, while he received no further penalty after also pleading guilty to driving otherwise in accordance with a licence and driving without insurance.
• Sooraj Cherikkathara Suresh, aged 30, of Anglian Way, Coventry, was disqualified from driving for 12 months, handed a £240 fine and ordered to pay £85 court costs plus £96 victim surcharge after pleading guilty to driving a motor vehicle when the alcohol level was above the limit at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Monday, December 16. Suresh was arrested while driving a black Volvo S60 car in Barrack Road, Northampton, at about 2.30am on Sunday, December 1, and charged after providing an evidential reading of 51 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
• Bob Alain Nyangang, aged 45, of Kingsland Gardens, Northampton, received an interim driving disqualification after he pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen for analysis at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Monday, December 16. Nyangang was arrested while driving a grey KIA Ceed car in Grafton Street, Northampton, at about 3.45am on Sunday, December 1, and subsequently charged after failing to provide an evidential specimen in custody. At the court hearing he also pleaded guilty to driving otherwise in accordance with a licence and driving with no insurance. His case was adjourned to Monday, February 10, for pre-sentence reports.
• Andrian Vutcariov, aged 41, of Lingwood Park, Northampton, had his case adjourned after he pleaded not guilty to driving a motor vehicle when the alcohol level was above the limit and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, December 17. Vutcariov was arrested on suspicion of the two driving offences after being stopped by police officers while driving a black Mercedes C220 car in Fir Tree Walk, Northampton, at about 6am on Monday, December 2. He was released on unconditional bail until Monday, February 10, when he will return to the same court to stand trial.
• Seth Tettah Abbey, aged 54, of Doddington Court, Wellingborough, was disqualified from driving for 17 months, handed a £392 fine and ordered to pay £85 court costs plus £157 victim surcharge after pleading guilty to driving a motor vehicle when the alcohol level was above the limit at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, December 19. Abbey was arrested while driving a white KIA Sportage car in Cliftonville, Northampton, at about 11.10pm on Monday, December 2, and charged after providing an evidential reading of 83 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
• Alan McGibbon, aged 66, of Orchard Way, Cogenhoe, had his case adjourned after he pleaded not guilty to driving a motor vehicle when the alcohol level was above the limit at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Friday, December 20. McGibbon was arrested after being stopped by police officers while driving a silver Peugeot 407 in York Avenue, Cogenhoe, at about 3.40pm on Wednesday, December 4. He was released on unconditional bail until Thursday, February 13, when he is due to appear before the same court.
• Sandu Popa, aged 38, of Tyes Court, Northampton, was disqualified from driving for 20 months, handed a £101 fine and ordered to pay £85 court costs plus £40 victim surcharge after pleading guilty to driving a motor vehicle when the alcohol level was above the limit at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Monday, December 23. Popa was arrested while driving a red Toyota Corolla car in Kingsway, Wellingborough, at about 10.45pm on Friday, December 6, and charged after providing an evidential reading of 64 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
• Adrian Adam Staniczek, aged 35, of Rochester Road, Corby, was disqualified from driving for 14 months, handed a £614 fine and ordered to pay £85 court costs plus £246 victim surcharge after pleading guilty to driving a motor vehicle when the alcohol level was above the limit at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Monday, December 23. Staniczek was arrested while driving a grey Volkswagen Passat car in Rockingham Road, Corby, at about 11.25pm on Friday, December 6, and charged after providing an evidential reading of 57 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
• Lucian-Dumitru Nanu, aged 36, of Mill Street, Evesham, Worcestershire, had his case adjourned after he pleaded not guilty to failing to provide a specimen for analysis at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Monday, December 23. Nanu was arrested after being stopped by police officers while driving a black SEAT Ibiza Sport car on the A43 at Blisworth, at about 2.30am on Saturday, December 7. He was released on unconditional bail until Tuesday, March 11, when he will return to the same court to stand trial.
• Christian Bulgari, aged 29, of Weggs Farm Road, Northampton, was disqualified from driving for 18 months and fined £850 after pleading guilty to driving a motor vehicle when the alcohol level was above the limit at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Monday, December 23. Bulgari was arrested while driving a white Mercedes Sprinter van in Bedford Road, Northampton, at about 4.10am on Saturday, December 7, and charged after providing an evidential reading of 84 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and £340 victim surcharge, while he received no further penalty after also pleading guilty to driving otherwise in accordance with a licence and driving without insurance.
• Samuel Barry, aged 31, of New Street, Rothwell, received an interim driving disqualification after he pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle when the alcohol level was above the limit at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Monday, December 23. Barry was arrested while driving a white Vauxhall Combo van in Lower Street, Kettering, at about 4.20am on Saturday, December 7, and charged after providing an evidential reading of 85 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. At the court hearing he also pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and he was released on unconditional bail. His case was adjourned to Tuesday, March 11 for pre-sentence reports.
• Kian England, aged 19, of Birchfield Road East, Northampton, was disqualified from driving for 18 months and fined £120 after pleading guilty to driving a motor vehicle when the alcohol level was above the limit at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Monday, December 23. England was arrested while driving a white Citroen C1 car in Bedford Road, Northampton, at about 5am on Saturday, December 7, and charged after providing an evidential reading of 69 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and £96 victim surcharge, while he received no further penalty after also pleading guilty to driving without insurance.

Other court appearances:

• A 33-year-old man from Northampton had his case committed to Northampton Crown Court after he appeared before the town’s magistrates’ court on Monday, December 16, charged with various offences. The man was arrested while driving a black BMW car in Telford Way, Northampton, at about 3.15am on Sunday, December 1. He was subsequently charged with dangerous driving, failing to provide a specimen for analysis, criminal damage to property under £5,000 and two counts of failing to co-operate with a preliminary test. Magistrates released him on unconditional bail until Monday, January 27, when he will make his first appearance at the crown court.
• A 27-year-old woman from Northampton had her case adjourned after she appeared at the town’s magistrates’ court on Monday, December 16, charged with driving a motor vehicle when the alcohol level was above the limit and possession of a Class A drug. She was arrested while driving a blue Hyundai Tucson in Wellingborough Road, Northampton, at about 8pm on Sunday, December 1. The woman entered no plea and was released on unconditional bail until Monday, February 3, when she is due to appear before the same court.