A man believed to be the first person convicted of drink-driving on an electric scooter has been banned from driving for 16 months.
Dmitry Gromov, 28, rode his e-scooter while drunk and crashed into a moped injuring both the driver and pillion passenger.
He pleaded guilty to drink-driving and careless driving at London Wall in the City of London and must sacrifice his licence to drive any vehicles.
The 28-year-old, from Shoreditch, east London must also pay £3,367.96 in compensation to the two people injured, Westminster Magistrates Court ruled.
He drove the e-scooter one-and-a-half times over the limit on 31 May 2019 when the crash occurred and was found to have 134 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of blood. The legal limit is 80mg.
Gromov who studied in the UK but is originally from Moscow, was driving a Xaomi Mi M365, which cost around £300.
Steep rise
City of London Police Special Constable William Hamilton said: “There has recently been a steep rise in the use of electrically powered scooters on public roads.
“These scooters are currently illegal to ride anywhere, other than on private land.
“Not only did Gromov take the risk of riding an illegal vehicle on the road, he also put himself and others in danger by doing so under the influence of alcohol.
“Gromov will now be disqualified from driving and has had to pay a hefty fine for his carelessness.
“However, the consequences could have been much worse.
“Whilst this incident happened in the summer, we are well aware many people will be visiting bars and pubs after work over the Christmas period.
“Please make sure you plan a safe and legal route home – do not drink and drive.”
A City of London spokesperson said: “He pleaded guilty to drink-driving and careless driving. We believe this to be the first prosecution of its kind.”
City of London police and the Met have been clamping down on the use of e-scooters. Almost 100 people were caught illegally riding them in a single week last summer.
Youtuber and TV star Emily Hartridge, 35, died when her e-scooter collided with a lorry in Battersea last July.
Just a few days later, a teenage boy suffered serious head injuries after crashing his electric scooter into a bus stop in Beckenhem.
