Ipswich man caught drink-driving on e-scooter given ban
Getty ImagesA 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.
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