a lucid drink-driving sentence

[Iria]

Just to lighten up your day... let me see... she is 13 and has been banned from driving for 2 years how does that help? maybe I am not understanding it...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/4222509.stm

[superflid]

"The girl is thought to be the youngest female ever caught drink-driving".


Which means that........

[tinman0]

and it was her father who phoned the police!

i hate to say this, but this really was a family in crisis.

[MilnerR]

Doesn't help a great deal! I think the logic behind it is that driving without a licence is not an arrestable offence whereas driving while diqualified is. Hence the 2 year ban.
Thank God for speed cameras; they really do help to cut down on dangerous situations like this

[RobDickinson]

The ban should start from when she reaches 17 I believe?

[timbob]

superflid said:

"The girl is thought to be the youngest female ever caught drink-driving". Which means that........

I believe there was a thread here a while ago (it was certainly in the news) that a 12 year old lad was caught driving a stolen car, late at night, whilst drunk, on the wrong side of the road (an urban single carriageway road) with no lights on. He was arrested after he crashed (not into anyone else fortunately) and given a 5 year ban...set to run out just as he reaches 17, great!!

I've not researched the above, it's all off the top of my head, so some details may be a bit skewiff...

[rsvmilly]

tinman0 said:

and it was her father who phoned the police! i hate to say this, but this really was a family in crisis.

I think it is our (society's) fault and that she should be sent on a super holiday to recuperate.

[Iria]

... and mainly, why was a 12 year old drunk at a Xmas party at home? "no worries, aunt Patsie, I'll borrow me dad's car to go and see you" bah humbug.

[vixpy1]

The parents should recieve a large fine for being crap parents.

[miniman]

RobDickinson said:

The ban should start from when she reaches 17 I believe?

Yes, but it's still a shit punishment.

Here's how her thinking went on this occasion:

I'm 12
I don't have a licence
I'm drunk
The car's not mine
I will drive the car

When she's 17, why would we expect her to think any differently than:

I'm banned
I'm drunk
The car's not mine
I will drive the car

She clearly doesn't give two short shits about the law, so why should it be any difference "because she's banned"???

Parents --> jail.

[foreright]

RobDickinson said:

The ban should start from when she reaches 17 I believe?

actually, they just said on the evening news that the ban expires 2 years before she can get a driving license, so it would appear not

[jimothy]

MilnerR said:

driving without a licence is not an arrestable offence

????

Does this mean that any old 12 year old can drive and if they don't break the law, they can't be done?????

[just dave]

You will have to look in 'SP&L' for the detailed explaination, but DD will get you banned, BUT 'Driving While Banned' will get you a custodial sentence.

'Banned' is a good place to start, IMO.

Yank Dave

[seafarer]

I can't believe that she was the only one punished. How about all those adults who supplied the alcohol? Contributing to the delinquence of a minor, parental negligence, reckless endangerment, etc. I've heard of child welfare services separating kids from their parents for doing things like this. Apparently, adults no longer have legal responsibility towards their children?! Unbelievable.

[MilnerR]

jimothy said:

MilnerR said: driving without a licence is not an arrestable offence ???? Does this mean that any old 12 year old can drive and if they don't break the law, they can't be done?????

You're commiting an offence but you can't be arrested for it like a lot of motoring offences AFAIK. I may be wrong about this but driving whilst diqualified will see you in the back of a police car and off to the station. Thats why they get banned even though they don't have a licence. It is pretty insane but there you go!

Edited to add: Just looked it up. the road traffic act 1988 section 87 states that driving not in accordance with a licence is an offence. It is then dealt with under section 25 of PACE that states that a suspect can only be arrested for the offence if the BiB thinks that serving a summons will not be possible.

>> Edited by MilnerR on Tuesday 1st February 12:42

[cotty]

MilnerR said:

jimothy said: MilnerR said: driving without a licence is not an arrestable offence ???? Does this mean that any old 12 year old can drive and if they don't break the law, they can't be done????? You're commiting an offence but you can't be arrested for it like a lot of motoring offences AFAIK. I may be wrong about this but driving whilst diqualified will see you in the back of a police car and off to the station. Thats why they get banned even though they don't have a licence. It is pretty insane but there you go! Edited to add: Just looked it up. the road traffic act 1988 section 87 states that driving not in accordance with a licence is an offence. It is then dealt with under section 25 of PACE that states that a suspect can only be arrested for the offence if the BiB thinks that serving a summons will not be possible. >> Edited by MilnerR on Tuesday 1st February 12:42

No insurance company would insure a 12 year old so any 12 year old caught driving should have the book thrown at them for no insurance. for a start.

How about a default every child is banned from driving until they are 17.