Ketton is known for its peaceful rural charm. But a look through the local court registers reveals that the village’s public highways have occasionally played host to some rather expensive lessons about mixing alcohol with any form of transportation whether it is a modern German hatchback or a Victorian steam engine.
A recent hearing at Leicester Magistrates' Court proved that the law takes a incredibly dim view of being under the influence behind the wheel, even if the vehicle never actually goes anywhere.
For local couple Paul and Christy Burgess, of Castle Close, Ketton, an Easter Sunday outing ended with a heavy financial penalty and a stack of points.
The court heard that on April 5, the pair were in an Audi on Ketton’s High Street when the vehicle struck a stationary car. When police breathalysed the couple, both blew well over the UK legal limit of 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
Paul Burgess (54): Blew 85 micrograms (nearly two and a half times the limit). He pleaded guilty to drink driving.
Christy Burgess (51): Blew 75 micrograms. She admitted to being "in charge" of the vehicle.
While Christy Burgess did not actually move the car, the court heard she had sat in the front seat and touched the steering wheel. Under UK law, being "in charge" of a motor vehicle while over the limit carries strict penalties, regardless of whether the engine is running or the wheels are turning.
The magistrates handed down a steep set of punishments to the pair:
Paul Burgess Drink Driving 20-month driving ban £770 fine, £85 costs, £308 victim surcharge
Christy Burgess Drunk in Charge 10 penalty points on licence £150 fine, £85 costs, £60 victim surcharge
In total, the Easter Sunday incident cost the household over £1,450 in fines and court fees, alongside the loss of driving privileges.
Flashback to 1880 The 'Drunk and Riotous' Engine Driver
The Burgesses are far from the first Ketton residents to find themselves in hot water with the magistrates over alcohol on the highway. A trip through the local archives reveals a remarkably similar yet distinctly Victorian incident that took place 145 years earlier.
On July 7, 1880, Thomas Gooud, a Ketton resident and an engine driver by trade, was arrested on the village highway. He wasn't piloting an Audi, but his behavior certainly caused a local stir. Gooud was hauled before the court charged with being "drunk and riotous on the highway," alongside a second charge of assaulting a man named James Astin.
"Defendant was charged with being drunk and riotous on the highway at Ketton... Fined £1 7s 2d including costs."
While an engine driver in 1880 was highly skilled responsible for driving large steam-powered agricultural engines or railway locomotives Gooud's rowdy evening cost him a total of £1, 7s, 2d. The separate assault charge was dismissed, though he still had to pay 2s 10d in costs for it.
Then vs. Now: The Cost of a Night Out
To put Thomas Gooud's 1880 fine into perspective, his total penalty of roughly £1.50 translates to about £212 in today's money.
While £212 was a massive chunk of a Victorian working man's weekly wage, it pales in comparison to the £1,458 bill faced by the modern-day Audi occupants. It seems that while Ketton's roads have transitioned from iron wheels and horses to modern tarmac, the price of mixing a drink with the driver's seat has grown significantly steeper.
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