Sir Robin Knox-Johnston banned for drink driving
Pioneering sailor, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston has been banned from driving for 18 months after he was caught drink-driving in his home town of Portsmouth.
Legendary sailor, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston is now starting an 18 month driving ban after he was caught more than twice over the legal drink-drive limit.
The 77-year-old appeared before Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court on 8 November, 2016, where he pleaded guilty to the charge.
The court heard that a taxi driver in the sailor’s home town of Portsmouth had contacted the police, concerned about Knox-Johnston’s driving on 24 October, 2016 this year.
He was stopped in his Suzuki Vitara, and later gave a breathalyser reading of 77 micrograms (mcg) in 100 millilitres of breath – the legal limit is 35mcg.
Magistrates fined Knox-Johnston £440 and ordered him to pay a £44 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.
Knox-Johnston shot to fame after he became the first person to sail single handed and non-stop around the world.
He was the only entrant in the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race to complete the challenge on 22 April 1969 on board his 32-foot Bermuda ketch, Suhaili.
Robin Knox-Johnston on board Suhaili as he finished the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race. Credit: Bill Rowntree / PPL
In 1994, Knox-Johnston and the late Sir Peter Blake co-skippered Enza New Zealand to take the Jules Verne Trophy for the fastest circumnavigation of the world.
They did it in 74 days 22 hours 18 minutes, and set a new world record.
In 1995, Knox-Johnston was knighted, and the following year established the Clipper Around the World Yacht race, opening the sport to novice sailors.
Celebrating with LMAX Exchange, winners of the 2015-16 Clipper Round the World Race in JULY 2016
In 2006/07, at the age of 68, he was the oldest competitors in the VELUX 5 Ocean Race.
He successfully completed his second solo circumnavigation of the world in the Open 60 Fila, SAGA Insurance.
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