Drunken driver jailed for erratic escapade at wheel (From The Northern Echo)
For details on how to contact our editorial and commercial departments, click here
Drunken driver jailed for erratic escapade at wheel in east Durham
6:18pm Monday 18th February 2013 in Crime News
By Bruce Unwin, Chief Reporter (Durham)
A DRUNKEN motorist was lucky not to cause serious injury during an erratic driving escapade, a court heard.
Simon Paul Faulkner, who has never previously served a custodial sentence, was jailed for a year after a court recorder told him it was, “as bad a case of dangerous driving that could possibly be imagined.”
Durham Crown Court heard that Faulkner was drinking cider at his partner’s home, in South Hetton, from the morning of Sunday May 20.
Adrian Dent, prosecuting, said he was seen at the wheel of his Ford Mondeo, overtaking a Vauxhall Corsa, driven by his partner’s friend, at speed approaching nearby Hawthorn Village, at about 4pm.
Mr Dent said the Mondeo careered to the left at a junction, drove up and down in front of the Corsa.
Later, entering Seaham, the Mondeo shunted the Corsa into a car in front, causing it to ‘bounce’ over the road, into a wall, in The Avenue, Deneside.
The front seat Corsa passenger hit his head off the windscreen, but Faulkner, who appeared drunk, went over and reached in, apparently trying to grab him.
He was pushed away before returning to the Mondeo and driving off at speed.
Both the female driver and male passenger in the Corsa received hospital treatment for whiplash and other injuries, while the car suffered £1,500-worth of damage.
Mr Dent told the court it emerged Faulkner also collided with two parked vehicles in South Hetton.
Police saw him approaching his home, in Ryton Crescent, Seaham, drinking a can of lager, apparently very drunk, shortly afterwards.
He claimed not to know where the car was parked, but it was recovered nearby.
When arrested he refused to give a breath sample and claimed he previously sold the Mondeo, denying having been the driver that day.
But, at a plea hearing, 27-year-old Faulkner admitted dangerous driving, failing to report an accident, plus having no licence or insurance.
Martin Scarborough, mitigating, said: “I have to concede it was a dangerous situation for those in that car and other road-users at the time.
“He doesn’t have a long criminal history, but it’s all for driving matters and he’s never been in custody before.”
Jailing him, Recorder Simon Brown told Faulkner: “This is as bad a case of dangerous driving that can be imagined.
“It’s your good fortune you did not cause serious injury, but you caused a good deal of damage.”
He also banned Faulkner from driving for 18 months.
More Crime News
- Burglar who snapped himself on stolen camera is jailed
- Chef who loses sense of smell in random attack angry after thug is spared jail
- Police turn to specialist bureau to try to resolve two missing persons cases
- Married Northallerton man who groomed teenage girl walks free from court
- Escape bid foiled when four men were captured in the grounds of Kirklevington Grange open prison
- Conman who swindled a string of women jailed for seven years
- Vandals cause thousands of pounds of damages to Jubilee Wood
- Police operation targets rogue scrap dealers
- Warning of fines over misuse of 999 line
- Plans for multi-million pound secondary school rebuild to be considered
More Transport News
- Cyclist dies in collision with lorry on A66
- 25-year-old man dies in two car crash on A689
- Heavy rain floods roads across region
- Police warning on congestion due to traveller event
- Teesside Airport railway station had just 14 passengers in a year
- M62 motorway crash treated as major incident
- A66 closed after lorry sheds 40ft steel pipes
- Two-car collision in Teesside
- Figures derail case for re-privatisation of East Coast rail line, it is claimed
- Drivers hurt in crash on busy main road
Comments are closed on this article.
