Scientist who helped design breathalysers is banned for drink driving after failing a roadside test
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A scientist who helped design breathalysers to catch drunken motorists has himself been banned for drink driving after failing a roadside breath test. Retired Dr Richard Lacey, 70, mounted a roundabout in his car after drinking a bottle of wine and pints with his lunch.
![[Prosecutor Shane Maddocks told Llandrindod Wells Magistrates' Court that Lacey was described as 'wobbly' when police arrived at the scene in Powys on November 23]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/19/16/93323457-14210901-image-a-23_1734626336778.jpg)
A court heard his wheel was damaged in the incident, leaving his Peugeot 208 Gt Puretech immobile. Lacey, who is now retired from his tech company Tilekiln Tech Consultants Ltd, told the court how he helped design breathalysers when he was working. Dr Lacey said: 'I'm retired. I designed breathalysers and used to work with the police.
'I had a couple of glasses of wine with lunch and a few pints of beer.'. The court heard Lacey's breath was measured at 41 micrograms - exceeding the legal limit of 35 micrograms. Lacey pleaded guilty to a single charge of drink driving. Retired Dr Richard Lacey, 70, who helped design breathalysers (pictured), mounted a roundabout in his car after drinking a bottle of wine and pints with his lunch.
Prosecutor Shane Maddocks told Llandrindod Wells Magistrates' Court that Lacey was described as 'wobbly' when police arrived at the scene in Powys on November 23. Lacey, who represented himself, said: 'I've really got nothing to say. I misjudged how much I'd drunk.'.
The dreaded breathalysers were developed in the 1970s to detect whether motorists have consumed too much alcohol to legally be allowed to drive. They were developed by Lion Laboratories in Barry, South Wales, and have caught tens of thousands of drunken drivers.
