Drunk smashes Mercedes into lamppost, cars and garden
A drunken driver speeding along a street in Birstall[1] crashed his Mercedes C-Class into a lamppost and two parked cars before coming to a halt in the front garden of a house. When the emergency services arrived at the scene in Roman Road, the driver, Sammy Gunn, 42, was rushed to hospita,l where a blood sample later revealed he had been more than twice the legal drink-driving limit. At Leicester Magistrates’ Court[2] on Thursday, Gunn, of Dulverton Road, West End[3], Leicester, pleaded guilty to the drink-driving offence at 3.40pm on Saturday, June 3.
Prosecutor Peter Bettany told the court: “The defendant was driving at some speed and went on to strike a lamppost, two parked cars and he ended up in somebody’s front garden. “He was taken to hospital and a sample of blood was taken which showed he was two-and-a-half times the limit.” He said the reading was 201 milligrammes of alcohol per 100ml of blood, with the legal limit being 80 milligrammes. The collision was caught on camera, which showed Gunn had lied to police about what happened, Mr Bettany said.
He said: “The defendant said there had been another car coming through and he had to avoid it. The video shows there are no other vehicles in the vicinity.” Mr Bettany said Gunn had an “extensive” criminal record, but that this was his first drink-driving offence.
Roshni Modi, representing Gunn, said her client was upset at the time because he had just broken up with his partner of 14 years. She said: “He was struggling to cope and took the decision to get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol.” She said Gunn was the father of two children for whom he provided money, and that he also received a carer’s allowance because he looked after his father, who has angina and emphysema.
Ms Modi said: “He is sorry for his actions.”
Gunn was banned from driving for 22 months and also ordered to pay a GBP120 fine, a GBP48 victim surcharge and GBP85 court costs.
References
- ^ Birstall (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Leicester Magistrates’ Court (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ West End (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Two arrested after chemical scare at city home (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)