‘I’m in a mess’ – what drink-driver said to police after head-on crash when he took roundabout the wrong way
A drunken driver who crashed head-on into another car on a roundabout, causing injury to a father and son in another car, later ruefully admitted to police: "I'm in a mess." Liam Berry had a long history of drink-driving and ignoring driving bans and it was only a matter of pure good fortune that nobody was more seriously injured in the "very grim" crash, Hull Crown Court[1] heard. Berry, 37, of no fixed address but recently in Hull Prison, admitted dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, driving while unfit through alcohol and having no insurance on October 21.
Marc Luxford, prosecuting, said that a man was travelling home from Scarborough in his MG3 car at about 6.30pm. His son was in the rear passenger seat. They were travelling through a roundabout at Carnaby, near Bridlington[2], when a white Hyundai driven at speed by Berry entered the roundabout the wrong way.
Berry continued driving at speed and hit the front of the man's car head-on, causing serious damage. The other man slammed on his brakes when he saw Berry's car and his son was thrown forwards and hit his chin on the head rest of the seat in front of him, causing a graze. The driver suffered an injury to his right hand and swelling and soreness to his neck area.
Police arrived at the scene and Berry later said: "I'm in a mess." His breath smelled of alcohol and he was over the drink-driving limit in a roadside test. He had been banned from driving for four years in September last year. During police interview, Berry said that he had an argument with his father that morning and that he had been drinking earlier from 1pm.
He admitted that he was "definitely" drunk and seemed to be remorseful.
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Read our privacy notice here[4]. He expressed concern about the condition of the other driver and his son. The man later said that he was a mechanic and, because of his hand injury, he had to call in sick for work. "I am shocked," he said. "This has completely disrupted my life."
Berry had convictions for 20 previous offences, including many for drink-driving and driving while disqualified. His most recent conviction was in February for travelling on a railway without paying the fare. Ben Hammersley, mitigating, said the incident painted a "very grim picture" but Berry had shown remorse and, during the police interview, concern. "It is perhaps a matter of luck and nothing more than luck that nobody was seriously injured and he is not facing a more serious charge," said Mr Hammersley.
Berry had expressed "disgust" at his actions and the impact upon the victims. "The offence was driven by alcohol abuse," said Mr Hammersley. "He had been dry for 10 months prior to this incident." Berry had a relapse into drinking after a family issue emerged. "He knows that he needs to be off alcohol for good," said Mr Hammersley. Judge Kate Rayfield told Berry: "You are no stranger to driving under the influence of alcohol.
Things have got more serious this time because you have involved someone else. "You drove the wrong way around a roundabout, which is obviously extremely dangerous. It's more luck than judgement that no one was more seriously injured.
"It was a highly dangerous manoeuvre and you were under the influence of alcohol. There was serious damage to a car." Berry was jailed for 14 months.
He was banned from driving for four years and seven months.
He will have to pass an extended retest before he can drive legally again.
References
- ^ Hull Crown Court (www.hulldailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Bridlington (www.hulldailymail.co.uk)
- ^ here (bit.ly)
- ^ here (bit.ly)