A County Durham man offered the chance to sort out his life after going “off the rails” last summer, spurned the opportunity by picking up a further driving conviction.
Wayne Hanlon admitted a spate of motoring and drug offences from May to September last year, several of them while on bail following his arrest on a dangerous driving allegation.
He was made subject of a three-month deferred sentence at Durham Crown Court in October, when Judge Nathan Adams told him his was, “a borderline case”.
It meant Hanlon was released after spending several weeks on remand in custody.
But as he left court, in October, Judge Adams told Hanlon: “If there are no further offences, it will be a suspended sentence.”
The case came back before Judge Adams at the court for sentence, on Thursday (January 29), when the hearing was told Hanlon has picked up a further conviction during the time of the deferment, for failing to provide a breath specimen, committed in December.
His counsel, Calum McNicholas, in mitigation, told the court: “I start this three to 4-0 down, as there has been a breach.
“Clearly, here, there’s a complex background with multiple incidents of a traumatic nature in a short space of time in his life.”
Mr McNicholas said these included fatalities of both a family member and a friend.
“The height of the offending is dangerous driving in May last year and there has been a downward trajectory to today, including, now, the failure to provide.
“The frequency of offending has greatly reduced and he tells me he’s now in work, in construction, and has been engaging with his mental health problems, with an appointment in February with a view to counselling.
“So, other than that ‘blip’ in December, he has taken real steps to achieving lasting rehabilitation, which is the goal.
“If there were to be another ‘blip’ the only outcome would be him going behind bars.”
The 29-year-old defendant, of Hawthorn Terrace, Stanley, previously admitted a spate of offences, between May 13 and September 14 last year, including drink and drug driving, driving while disqualified and with no insurance, plus obstructing a police officer, as well as the dangerous driving conviction.
There were also several drug possession offences.
Passing sentence, Judge Adams told him: “You fall to be sentenced for a host of offences, a spate of criminal matters committed between May and September last year.
“In October, I listened to your personal mitigation leading to you going off the rails and I put that to the test and deferred sentence.”
Read next ... more court stories from The Northern Echo, by clicking here
Stalker threatened to blow up Easington petrol station
County Durham man denies causing serious injury by dangerous driving
Dangerous driver caused fatal collision on North York Moors
The judge said despite the chance offered and his warning to the defendant, Hanlon went on to commit the further offence, in December.
He, therefore, imposed an immediate 14-month prison sentence and banned the defendant from driving for 54 months.
The judge said if Hanlon is to lawfully drive in future he must pass an extended re-test when the disqualification period expires.
Share