Discussion
Maximum possible six months :banghead:
TEENAGER FACES JAIL AFTER POLICE CHASE
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11:00 - 19 August 2005
A Teenager from Bath is facing a jail sentence after being caught drink-driving for the third time. Despite being just 18 years old, Joe Garland has already run up an horrific list of motoring offences.
On the most recent occasion, the Whiteway teenager was over the limit when he raced through streets in Bath at more than twice the speed limit.
The court heard that Garland caused chaos on the streets of Odd Down and Whiteway in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
He sped through the streets at more than 70mph, and vehicles had to swerve to avoid crashing into him.
He jumped a red light and drove with- out the car's lights on.
Dawn Wellings, prosecuting, told Bath Magistrates Court yesterday that one of the cars, which swerved to avoid Garland, was a marked police car, which gave chase.
He was spotted behind the wheel of a Ford Escort by the officers at 1.25am on Wednesday.
"He was driving in a populated area, where there were a number of parked cars, at speeds in excess of 70mph in a 30mph zone," Ms Wellings said.
"There were no lights on the vehicle at the time.
"As well as the speed, the defendant also travelled through a red light."
A five-minute chase followed, which ended with Garland running from the car. He was arrested afterwards.
During the police interview that followed, Garland made no comment.
But officers found out that not only had he previously been dis- qualified from driving, but he was over the drink-drive limit.
A breath test revealed he had 47mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit of 35mcg.
Appearing in court for the first time in connection with the incident on Wednesday, Garland admitted using a vehicle he knew had been taken without the owner's consent and driving with excess alcohol.
He also admitted counts of driving dangerously, while disqualified and without insurance. Ms Wellings told the court that Garland had previously been convicted of drink-driving in April 2003 and in February 2003, when he was also convicted of aggravated vehicle taking.
Defence solicitor James Morton made no representations at the brief hearing yesterday.
Magistrates decided that the matters were too serious to be decided by them. The maximum custodial sentence a magistrates court can hand down for an individual offence is six months.
Garland, of Rosewarn Close in Whiteway, will be sentenced by a judge at Bristol Crown Court at a date to be fixed. He was remanded in custody until then.
http://www.thisisbath.com/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=163301&command=displayContent&sourceNode=163031&contentPK=13040246
TEENAGER FACES JAIL AFTER POLICE CHASE
Next Story | Previous Story | Back to list
11:00 - 19 August 2005
A Teenager from Bath is facing a jail sentence after being caught drink-driving for the third time. Despite being just 18 years old, Joe Garland has already run up an horrific list of motoring offences.
On the most recent occasion, the Whiteway teenager was over the limit when he raced through streets in Bath at more than twice the speed limit.
The court heard that Garland caused chaos on the streets of Odd Down and Whiteway in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
He sped through the streets at more than 70mph, and vehicles had to swerve to avoid crashing into him.
He jumped a red light and drove with- out the car's lights on.
Dawn Wellings, prosecuting, told Bath Magistrates Court yesterday that one of the cars, which swerved to avoid Garland, was a marked police car, which gave chase.
He was spotted behind the wheel of a Ford Escort by the officers at 1.25am on Wednesday.
"He was driving in a populated area, where there were a number of parked cars, at speeds in excess of 70mph in a 30mph zone," Ms Wellings said.
"There were no lights on the vehicle at the time.
"As well as the speed, the defendant also travelled through a red light."
A five-minute chase followed, which ended with Garland running from the car. He was arrested afterwards.
During the police interview that followed, Garland made no comment.
But officers found out that not only had he previously been dis- qualified from driving, but he was over the drink-drive limit.
A breath test revealed he had 47mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit of 35mcg.
Appearing in court for the first time in connection with the incident on Wednesday, Garland admitted using a vehicle he knew had been taken without the owner's consent and driving with excess alcohol.
He also admitted counts of driving dangerously, while disqualified and without insurance. Ms Wellings told the court that Garland had previously been convicted of drink-driving in April 2003 and in February 2003, when he was also convicted of aggravated vehicle taking.
Defence solicitor James Morton made no representations at the brief hearing yesterday.
Magistrates decided that the matters were too serious to be decided by them. The maximum custodial sentence a magistrates court can hand down for an individual offence is six months.
Garland, of Rosewarn Close in Whiteway, will be sentenced by a judge at Bristol Crown Court at a date to be fixed. He was remanded in custody until then.
http://www.thisisbath.com/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=163301&command=displayContent&sourceNode=163031&contentPK=13040246
Typical.
I was watching the Police Stop type show on TV last night. They caught a particularly nasty acting scrote who had been in possession of a rather large knife (not sure if he'd been up to no good with it earlier, but someone had reported he was in possession thus must have seen it out in the open). He got a £200 fine (after running away from and being very abusive to the Police arresting him - why can't he get another penalty for being rude and abusive etc.?).
My girlfriend got a bigger fine than this and 3 points after running an orange traffic light. Good to see the justice system has everything nicely balanced.
I was watching the Police Stop type show on TV last night. They caught a particularly nasty acting scrote who had been in possession of a rather large knife (not sure if he'd been up to no good with it earlier, but someone had reported he was in possession thus must have seen it out in the open). He got a £200 fine (after running away from and being very abusive to the Police arresting him - why can't he get another penalty for being rude and abusive etc.?).
My girlfriend got a bigger fine than this and 3 points after running an orange traffic light. Good to see the justice system has everything nicely balanced.
er will get a good custodial sentence.Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff