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Tom recently represented Mr D before Redhill Magistrates Court, Surrey. Mr D was charged with offences of driving a motor vehicle with excess alcohol (75 in breath), driving without due care and attention, resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer. Bearing in mind the relatively high reading and the fact that the allegation was that Mr D had assaulted a police officer in the execution of his duty, a short custodial sentence was a real possibility. Mr D only decided to plead guilty the evening before the trial and, as such, the credit the Court could afford to him for his guilty plea was somewhat diminished. Notwithstanding this and, hearing powerful mitigation put forward, the Magistrates imposed fines in respect of the assault matter and the excess alcohol matter. Tom was able to persuade the prosecution to drop the matters of resisting arrest and driving without due care and attention. Mr D even avoided any community based penalty.