A MAN has been disqualified from driving for three years following two separate incidents in Colchester.

Alex Lyons-Grey, 19, of Straight Road, Colchester, appeared at Colchester Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, June 13, where he admitted to drink driving, drug driving and failing to provide a specimen on request.

He was disqualified from driving for 36 months, must carry out two lots of 150 hours of unpaid work and he was fined £290.

At around 1am on Friday, December 14, CCTV operators spotted Lyons-Grey taking drugs in Colchester.

He then got in a car and police pulled him over in the high street.

A drug swipe was completed and a positive reading came back for cocaine.

An Essex Police spokesman said: "We also suspected he had been drinking and an alcohol test revealed he was almost three times over the limit.

"Just before 2.30pm on Thursday, April 18, Lyons-Grey crashed his vehicle into a garden wall in Ambrose Avenue, Colchester.

"He appeared to be unfit to drive and under the influence of drink or drugs but refused to supply a blood sample for analysis."

Investigating officer PC Liz Ferris, of Stanway Roads Policing Unit, said: “Following some brilliant work by Colchester’s CCTV operators, we were able to quickly stop a drink driver before there were any severe consequences.

“Lyons-Grey showed a complete disregard for his own and other peoples’ safety and he failed to co-operate with us by refusing to provide a specimen.

“There are simple no excuses for drink and drug driving – it has no place in our communities and I believe our roads are safer now that Lyons-Grey has received a lengthy ban.”