Bericon has over 40 years of expertise in alcohol calculations, providing swift and professional reports for both legal professionals and the public. Specialising in drink-driving cases, we frequently deliver reports within a matter of days.
We can assist with:
– Laced or spiked drinks cases (“back calculations”): Were the individual’s drinks unknowingly laced with additional alcohol?
– The consumption of alcohol after driving (so-called post-incident consumption or “hip flask” defences) Did the individual drink alcohol after, say, returning home and before the arrival of the police?
– Calculations can be also be undertaken relating to Drunk in Charge cases where data is required to show when an individual would have been under the statutory limit to drive.
Case Study – Key Information
The Defendant was charged with Driving a Motor Vehicle with Excess Alcohol.
– The defendant consumed three pints of Foster’s lager before driving.
– They drove a motor vehicle, which and prior to the arrival of police officers they reported that they drank four to five pints of Budweiser lager.
– A subsequent evidential test showed that the concentration of alcohol in their breath was 93 microgrammes (µg) per 100 millilitres (ml) (93µg%). The legal limit being 35µg%,
Expert Instruction:
Bericon was instructed by the defendant’s solicitors to prepare a report that reviewed the concentration of alcohol in the defendant’s system at the time of driving given their declared drinking pattern.
Expert Findings:
A forward calculation showed that given the information supplied and without the contribution of any post-incident alcohol, if the defendant had consumed alcohol in the manner suggested before driving, they would have had a reading below the legal limit when they drove.
A back calculation in this case was not possible (given that alcohol was consumed in the hour before driving) but an overall assessment showed that their consumption would accord with a reading of 93µg% and if they consumed the stated quantity of alcohol after driving, their reading would have been below the limit when they drove.
The Defendant was found Not Guilty.
Feedback:
“The report was a positive and detailed one which supported our client’s case, so the expert Alan Baker was required by us to give evidence. His availability was provided without a fuss and a trial fixed. He was warned to attend court, and his evidence was presented in a calm, coherent and easy to understand manner. He was able to deal with the prosecutors’ questions with an ease and professionalism rarely seen in the Magistrates Court and gave evidence to a very high standard. The Magistrates accepted his evidence and our clients account, as a result our client was found not guilty. If it wasn’t for the contents of Bericon’s report, the manner in which it was presented and Mr Baker’s expertise, a positive result would surely not have been achieved. We will certainly instruct again.”
Are you a criminal defence solicitor looking for an expert witness in this type of case? Contact us today.
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