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17
Apr
Ban for Knaresborough man who drove after drinking a third of a litre of gin
A Knaresborough man who drove to buy more alcohol after drinking one-third of a litre of gin has been sentenced.
Yevhen Panasenko, 44, appeared at Harrogate Magistrates Court yesterday (April 16) when he admitted one offence of drink-driving.
Prosecutor Sarah Tyrer told the court police received a report from a member of the public just before midnight on March 27.
They were concerned about a man who had bought a “large bottle of gin” at Tesco Express in Knaresborough, before getting back in his car.
The person described the man – Panasenko – as “driving very slowly” and “weaving” in and out of the road.
They stayed on the phone to police and followed the defendant in their car, providing officers with updates on where Panasenko was heading.
Meanwhile, the court heard, police officers checked the details of Panasenko's car and found the registered keeper lived at an address on Stockwell Place in Knaresborough.
A police officer went to the address, where they saw Panasenko’s car being followed by the member of the public.
Police stopped Panasenko outside of his home on Stockwell Place.
Ms Tyrer said:
The defendant was the driver and the sole occupant of the car. The police officer could smell alcohol on him and he was unsteady on his feet. He had to lean on the car so he didn’t fall.
A roadside breath test was positive.
The defendant was arrested and taken to the police station, where he recorded 98 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath just after 1am – making him almost three-times the legal limit of 35 micrograms.
Panasenko has no previous convictions in the country, Ms Tyrer said.
Move to UK was ‘very, very stressful’
Sean Wilson, defending, immediately asked the court for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.
He said Panasenko is a Ukrainian national and moved to the UK in December 2022, some 10 months after war broke out.
The defendant has since lost classmates and a close friend in the war, Mr Wilson said, adding he found the move to the UK “very, very stressful and emotional”.
Panasenko suffers from anxiety and depression, for which he has an upcoming counselling appointment, and the loss of his driving licence will have a “big impact” on both him and his family.
The case was temporarily stood down whilst a pre-sentence report was prepared.
Probation officer Andrew Watson later told the court Panasenko has found it “very difficult to come to terms with the war” in Ukraine.
He has been using alcohol as a coping mechanism, the court heard, and had drank one-third of a litre of gin on the day of the offence after having “negative thoughts”.
Mr Watson added:
He went to bed, but he woke up and felt he needed more to drink, so he drove to the shop. The defendant says he wouldn't normally drive after drinking, but he did appear to have limited knowledge of alcohol… he now understands the dangers he put himself and other road users in.
Panasenko can go “weeks or months” without drinking, the court was told, but when he experiences an “emotional overload” he turns to alcohol.
The defendant was banned from driving for 24 months, which would be reduced by 24 weeks if he completes a drink-driving awareness course.
He was also handed a 12-month community order, during which he must complete 10 rehabilitation activity days and 40 hours of unpaid work.
Panasenko was also ordered to pay a total of £199 to the court.
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