Drink driver who caused £15k of damage after crashing into house jailed

Gigel Matei (32) was first caught by officers at just after 1am on Monday, October 28, thanks to a call from a CCTV operator.

Police attended the area of High Street, March, after he was seen driving his black Vauxhall Corsa in a strange manner.

When officers pulled Matei over he presented a provisional licence and told them that he had only had one alcoholic drink.

A roadside breath test returned a reading of 71ugs, more than twice the legal limit (35ugs). He was arrested at the scene and charged.

However, just two weeks later, while on bail, Matei was again seen driving erratically on Kings Hedges Road in Cambridge.

A witness described him as swerving onto the wrong side of the road at high speed.

Matei continued driving dangerously along Campkin Road where he lost control at a roundabout and crashed into a house on Northfields Avenue, causing £15,000 worth of damage.

He got out of the car and began to run away, but a witness called after him to say there was no point in running as his fingerprints would be all over the vehicle.

Just moments later, Matei returned and stayed at the scene until police arrived.

He admitted to being the driver of the car and once again blew over the legal limit - this time reading 111ugs.

Matei, of Turpyn Court, Cambridge, admitted two counts of drink driving, driving without insurance, driving without a licence and one of driving without a valid test certificate and criminal damage.

He was sentenced to 14 months in prison and banned from driving for 41 months at Cambridge Crown Court on Friday. He will also need to sit an extended retest.

PC Anthea Heap said: “Matei’s reckless actions put both himself and those around him in danger.

“His first arrest clearly didn’t deter him and he continued to drink drive without a second thought.

“I hope the sentence highlights how seriously such behaviour is taken by both the police and the courts.”