Morecambe DJ and children's entertainer avoids jail after admitting drink drive charges

Thursday, 26 May 2022 16:28

A Morecambe DJ and children's entertainer has avoided jail after admitting drink driving for a sixth time.

Trevor Knowles-Cooke was arrested after leaving Morecambe FC, following working at a party there earlier this month.

62-year-old Knowles-Cooke, from Hestham Crescent, was found to be twice the legal drink drive limit, Blackpool Magistrates heard.

At an earlier hearing, he admitted drink driving, disqualified driving and having no insurance, and today was sentenced to 12 weeks in custody, suspended for 18 months.

He must also carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and has been banned from driving for 46 months.

Full credit was given for an early guilty plea to all charges.

The court heard that it was his sixth drink drive conviction and his fourth for disqualified driving, and he was less than eight months into a 42 month ban when caught.

Magistrates heard how the defendant had been an entertainer and DJ for 40 years, and on the night of the offence, had been seen driving erratically, narrowly missing some bollards while turning on to Westgate, just after 1am on Sunday, May 8.

He was said to be co-operative with police officers who stopped him, but provided a positive breath test of 69 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

In mitigation, Mr Knowles-Cooke, who represented himself while appearing via video link from HMP Preston, where he was on remand, said he was remorseful, intended to ‘act his age, not his shoe size’, and would no longer work in the entertainment industry after the conclusion of the case.

He also told the court he had a job as a night shift worker at Asda in Lancaster, which was being left open for him to return to, pending the outcome of the case.

Mr Knowles-Cooke said his family was standing by him, and he wanted to engage in mental health and alcohol rehabilitation services.