A DISTRICT judge has slammed the lack of alcohol treatment programmes in Herefordshire, likening the sentencing powers available to him in the county to a “postcode lottery”.

With no programmes currently affiliated to the local probation service, anyone convicted of alcohol-related offences like drink driving will not have the option of taking a course that will, in most cases, reduce their sentence.

This means that someone could be convicted of exactly the same offence, under exactly the same circumstances in, for example, Worcester, and receive a shorter driving ban than if they were sentenced in Hereford.

“It’s absolutely terrible,” said district judge Nigel Cadbury, speaking at Hereford Magistrates Court on December 3.

“It is shocking that there is no provision for alcohol treatment requirement in Herefordshire that I can add to a court order.

“It is a postcode lottery of what kind of sentence you can receive.

“It’s most important that the court has this power.”

A probation officer in the court confirmed that, while there were alcohol treatment programmes in Herefordshire, none of them were linked to the probation service.

West Mercia probation service declined to comment further on the issue.

Judge Cadbury made his comments during a drink driving case at Hereford Magistrates Court.

They came just a day after West Mercia police issued a statement reminding motorists of the dangers of drink-driving during the festive period.

The case judge Cadbury was hearing involved Simon Catley, who was so drunk that he was totally unaware that he had collided with other vehicles in Hereford’s ASDA carpark on a Friday morning last month.

The health and safety officer then finished off a bottle of vodka in the car before police arrived on the scene, the court heard.

The 51-year-old from Walton Close, who had no previous convictions, found out he had lost his job the day before.

He drunk “vodka, wine, and another bottle of vodka,” Lesley Ashton, prosecuting, told the court.

He then decided to move his Ford Focus to the ASDA car park as the B and B he was staying in wouldn’t allow him to park his car on the premises, or stay, past 10am.

He collided with other vehicles as part of a low-speed manoeuvre, Ms Ashton added.

Catley pleaded guilty, and received unconditional bail, to appear before Hereford Magistrates Court for sentencing on January 5.