Repeat drink-driver jailed after police discover him carrying an axe in Northampton

Magistrates sentenced a repeat drink-driver to five months in prison after police discovered he was carrying an axe in Northampton.

Mantas Margenis was less than a year into a 20-month sentence for excess alcohol when he was stopped behind the wheel of a Ford C-Max in Regent Square in August 2022. Tests revealed he had 67 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath — nearly double the legal limit of 35mg.

The 42-year-old, of South Holme Court, of South Holme Court, was previously banned for 20 months for drink-driving in September 2021. Margenis pleaded guilty to drink driving again at a hearing in September last year — but denied having no licence, no insurance and resisting a police officer. He then changed his pleas to guilty when he appeared again last month.

He also changed his plea to guilty, admitting possession of an article which had a blade or was sharply pointed, namely an axe, without good reason or lawful authority — and pleaded guilty of damaging a police cell while he was in custody..

Court documents revealed magistrates jailed Margenis for the totality of all the offences committed and his previous convictions.

He was also handed a fresh 40-month driving ban and ordered to pay a total of £856 in prosecution costs and a surcharge to fund victim services.

Drink-driving is one of the so-called ‘fatal five’ driving offences — alongside speeding, not wearing a seat belt, distractions such as using mobiles and sat navs and careless or inconsiderate driving — which are most commonly linked to deaths and serious injuries on roads.