Mounted Unit stop alleged drink-driver in Gloucester on second day of campaign

Two officers on police horses brought an alleged drink-driver to a halt earlier this week after a call from a concerned motorist.

Police were called by the vigilant member of the public who thought they had seen a fellow motorist drinking what looked like a can of cider while behind the wheel in Gloucester.

Two officers from Gloucestershire Constabulary’s Mounted Unit were nearby, and then located and surrounded the vehicle on Great Western Road.

Officers from the Roads Policing Unit also attended and conducted a breath test on the man which came back as 64, nearly twice the legal limit.

Footage from an officer’s body-worn video of the incident, which happened around 4.15pm on Tuesday, has now been released as part of the summer anti-drink and drug driving campaign, which launched the previous day.

The campaign aims to educate drivers of the dangers and penalties they could face by getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol or drugs as well as catching those committing offences.

Inspector Sarah Blake, who leads the Mounted Unit, said: "The vehicle was being driven in a very busy area, putting the public at risk.

"PCs Hastings and Walker utilised their mounted skills and worked as a team to ensure the vehicle was stopped quickly and the driver could not cause any harm to the public.

"Police Horse Kingsholm, being ridden by PC Walker, is our newest horse to the team and both him and PH Prestbury acted as instructed by their officers helping bring the incident to a swift conclusion."

The man had been travelling to the hospital to seek medical attention, he therefore was not arrested at the time and the matter will be dealt with in due course.

More information on the campaign can be found here: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/news/gloucestershire/news/footage-released-as-summer-anti-drink-and-drug-driving-campaign-is-launched/