News Drink driver spared jail ?death? sentence
A Snaith man given only a year to live has been spared spending his remaining days in jail despite admitting being almost four times over the alcohol limit for driving.
Phillip Barrett (43) was found clutching a black plastic party bowler hat behind the wheel of his wrecked car after it collided with the rear of a four-wheel-drive vehicle in Rawcliffe Road, Goole, on January 26, but left the scene on foot before the police arrived.
A search of the area found Barrett, of George Street, and he provided a breath sample with a reading of 131 microgrammes - the legal limit for driving being 35 microgrammes.
When Barrett appeared before Goole magistreates in June he was warned that he could possibly be facing a prison sentence because of the high alcohol reading, although his solicitor urged the court to take a more lenient course given the defendant?s poor physical health. Full pre-sentence reports were ordered.
Barrett, who had admitted driving whilst over the prescribed alcohol limit and driving without due care and attention, appeared back before the magistrates on Tuesday (July 25) when he was banned from driving for 36 months, ordered to pay prosecution costs of ?55 and placed under a Community Order for 12 months.
Part of the order requires Barrett to be under supervision for 12 months and take part in a drink-impared drivers programme. The magistrates also offered him a chance to take part in another course which would, if completed in time, reduce his driving ban by nine months.
At the earlier hearing Mr Jason Nicholson, mitigating, said that his client had nursed his wife after she suffered a stroke until her death earlier this year. He added that Barrett himself had severe health problems, including liver, pancreas, bile duct and stomach complications and had been given only a year to live.
Following the accident, which happened around tea-time, an ambulance crew found Barrett in his Nissan Micra car, holding the bowler hat and apologising for what he had done.
One of the crew described the smell from inside the car being ?like a nightclub. ?
Barrett then left the scene and was found in nearby New Potter Grange Road by the ambulance crew. However, at this time he was denying any involvement in the road accident.
The crew returned to the crash scene and, when the police arrived, set off again to find and identify Barrett, this time walking in Normandy Way, Goole. He admitted to the police officers that he had been the driver of the Micra car.
Mrs Julie Laverack-Glanville, prosecuting on Tuesday, said that Barrett was easy to trace after leaving the scene as, apart from the hat, he was also dressed from head to toe in black, complete with a long coat.
Mr Nicholson said on Tuesday that his client had substantial problems with his health and his personal circumstances. He had been the carer for his wife of 11 years following her stroke and until her death in March, but his own health had also been failing. ?It could be said that he is lucky to be here?, said Mr Nicholson. He added that his unemployed client had since disposed of his car and had no intention of ever driving again.
Published on 27th July 2006 in News.
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