Ipswich man caught drink-driving on e-scooter given ban

Unal Gokbulut was stopped near his home in April

A man who was caught drink-driving while riding an e-scooter has been given a 19-month driving ban.

Unal Gokbulut, 42, of Hilton Road, Ipswich, failed a roadside breath test near his home in the early hours of 5 April, police said.

He had previously admitted at Ipswich Magistrates' Court drink-driving while using an electric scooter.

On Tuesday, after further admitting driving without insurance, he was given a ban from driving and a £250 fine.

Suffolk Police said Gokbulut provided a breath test sample of 70 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - twice the legal limit of 35 micrograms.

At the earlier hearing, speaking through a Turkish interpreter, he said: "It's correct. I've taken alcohol. I accept."

He was given an interim driving ban and bailed, having initially denied the second charge, before changing his plea on Tuesday.

No separate penalty was given for the insurance matter.

E-scooters are treated as motor vehicles by the Department for Transport and are subject to the same legal requirement as other vehicles.

The only place privately-owned e-scooters should be used is on private land, and it is illegal to use them on a public road, cycle lane or pavement in the UK.

But the government has begun trials of e-scooters in approved rental schemes.

Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email [e-mail]