'Selfish' drink driver who caused head-on crash along busy stretch of road banned
A drink-driver who caused a head-on collision on a busy stretch of road, leaving a young man seriously injured, has been banned from driving for two years.
James Lamont was driving west on the A259 Bognor Road, towards Chichester, in his Audi Q2 when he crossed into the opposing carriageway, causing a serious collision on August 10, 2025.
The 28-year-old, of Anna Sewell Road in Chichester, crashed into an oncoming BMW 3 Series which was being driven on the correct side of the road at approximately 4am.
The passenger of the BMW – a 20-year-old man from Bognor – suffered a broken leg which impacts him on a daily basis.
Emergency services responded to the scene of the crash and noticed Lamont showed signs of intoxication as he was unsteady on his feet and had an overwhelming smell of intoxicating liquor.
He was arrested and charged with causing serious injury by careless driving and drink-driving. He had 90 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood in his system. The legal limit is 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.
In his victim impact statement written after the collision, the passenger said: “I still get what I consider to be PTSD when I am the passenger in cars. I receive flashbacks three or four times a week, sometimes at work, and these flashbacks include a pair of headlights coming straight towards me. This brings my recollection of the initial impact immediately back to my mind.
“Prior to the collision, I was getting into kickboxing and had been a couple of times. I had been pursuing this new hobby but now I don’t know if the metal rod in my leg and my level of flexibility will allow me to continue.
“This incident has significantly affected my work, my relationship, my mental health, home life and everything in between.
“I just want to get back to my full routine, back to work property, back to the gym, back to doing the things I love with my friends and family. Back to normality.”
Lamont pleaded guilty to all offences at Worthing Magistrates’ Court on March 3, where he was sentenced to a 12-month community order, requiring him to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work. He was also disqualified from driving for 24 months, fined £455, and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £114 victim surcharge.
Investigating officer PC Jed Gobey, of the Roads Policing Unit, said: “I can’t stress enough, it is selfish, it is dangerous and it can change the lives of you and others. Drink or drive; never both.”