Judge to rule on whether to throw out Cipriani drink-drive case

A judge is due to rule on whether to throw out a drink-driving case against England rugby star Danny Cipriani.

The player, 28, is accused of being so drunk his eyes were "glazed", he slurred his words and could not stand straight after he crashed his black Mercedes into a taxi at 5.15am on June 1 last year.

The Sale Sharks player, who has agreed a move to Wasps, was breathalysed after the crash in Imperial Road, Fulham, and found to have 67 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath - twice the drink-drive limit - Westminster Magistrates' Court heard.

The trial opened on Monday but the next day his defence lawyer Philip Lucas called for it to be dismissed, suggesting there was not "sufficient" evidence the breathalyser test in the police station was working properly.

Prosecutor Katie Weiss contested the application, insisting the court had enough evidence the machine was working properly to continue the case.

Senior District Judge Chief Magistrate Howard Riddle is due to give his ruling this afternoon.

If the case is not thrown out then it will overrun into a third day of evidence, and because the court is very busy it may be as late as May or June for the case to be concluded.