Man who’d drunk ‘pints and vodka’ caused Llandudno Junction crash that left woman with broken back

A driver, three times the legal limit, crashed into an oncoming car seriously injuring a motorist. Antoine Mercier had been "stressed" and drunk several pints and vodka before the "horrific" smash. He admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving to the woman, who suffered a fractured spine in the crash at Llandudno Junction[1].

A judge at Caernarfon[2] Crown Court heard that Mercier has already been sentenced for drink driving over the same incident. Today the judge gave the 44-year-old an 18-month jail term for the dangerous driving offence but suspended it for 18 months. The court heard the victim, Jennifer Young, was driving in her Skoda from Conwy[3] to Bangor[4] on November 12 last year.

Mercier's car headed over Conwy Bridge towards the roundabout near Lidl. The prosecutor said Mercier in his car hit a near side wall twice and eventually veered into Ms Wright's oncoming car that night. A taxi driver's dashcam footage showed the impact and the taxi driver and his passenger reacted in "horror", the court heard.

Mercier, a restaurant manager, of Denbigh[7] Street, Llanrwst[8], told police he had had an argument with his chef and was stressed. After his shift he had gone for "two or three pints" and some vodka. The victim said the oncoming car had only been two car-lengths away when it his hers and she had no time to avoid a collision.

You can sign up for all the latest court stories here[9] She was briefly knocked unconscious, suffered a fractured spine, severe pain in her nose and abdominal pain. She was taken to hospital and had to wear a neck brace.

She had a passenger who also went to hospital with whiplash and bruising. The prosecutor Ms Owen said Mercier was found to have consumed 246 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, the legal limit being 80 milligrams. Mercier was prosecuted for drink driving alone and has completed his punishment of 130 hours of unpaid work, the Crown Court heard.

But he was later charged with the more serious offence of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Rosemary Proctor, defending, said her client admits his responsibility and is genuinely remorseful. It had been a lapse in judgement.

He was grieving the loss of his father although that is not offered as an excuse for his offending, she said. The dad-of-two is terrified of going to prison if that was his fate. The judge His Honour Timothy Petts said his actions had had a physical and psychological impact on the other driver.

But a report suggests he is at low risk of re-offending. Suspending the sentence, the judge ordered Mercier to do 250 hours of unpaid work, do 20 days of rehabilitation activity and wear an electronic alcohol abstinence monitoring tag for 120 days. He also disqualified him from driving for two and a half years and he must pass an extended retest before he can drive again.

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References

1. ^ Llandudno Junction (www.dailypost.co.uk)
2. ^ Caernarfon (www.dailypost.co.uk)
3. ^ Conwy (www.dailypost.co.uk)
4. ^ Bangor (www.dailypost.co.uk)
5. ^ Lower speeds, wind deflectors and speed cameras recommended for Menai bridges but no new crossings (www.dailypost.co.uk)
6. ^ 'Sentenced to 25 years of noise' claim if quarry plan goes ahead near North Wales town (www.dailypost.co.uk)
7. ^ Denbigh (www.dailypost.co.uk)
8. ^ Llanrwst (www.dailypost.co.uk)
9. ^ latest court stories here (www.dailypost.co.uk)
10. ^ all you need to do is click this link and select 'Join Community' (chat.whatsapp.com)
11. ^ Privacy Notice (www.reachplc.com)
12. ^ Click here to join the WhatsApp community. (chat.whatsapp.com)