Driving ban for drunk landlord who crashed in Leicestershire on way to Lake District

A depressed pub landlord intending to drive about 350 miles to end his life crashed near East Midlands Airport^[1] (EMA) after stopping for beer at numerous pubs on the way. Ian McGowan was aiming for the Lake District after setting off from Kent on the day of the incident.

McGowan, 62, had bought a pub with his wife just weeks before Coronavirus^[2] arrived the UK in 2020. After years of struggling to keep the business afloat, the couple decided to sell the pub but struggled to find a buyer. Meanwhile, McGowan was also diagnosed with cancer and started receiving treatment.

It was on Saturday, September 21, that McGowan set off from The Castle Hotel in Hythe on the south coast of England to go to the lakes to take his own life, with a short stop for hint a pint at several pubs along the way. His cancer treatment meant he had to make numerous bathroom breaks though and after coming off the M1 at junction 24 near EMA in Castle Donington^[3] he rammed his Ford Focus into the back of another car on the sliproad

At Leicester Magistrates' Court^[5] on Thursday (October 10) it was heard how McGowan was supposedly "unresponsive" in the vehicle following the collision. However, officers from Leicestershire Police^[6] determined that he was drunk.

Prosecutor Sukhy Basi told the court hearing that McGowan was breathalysed at the scene and gave a roadside reading of 124 microgrammes per 100ml of breath. That was well over the legal limit of 35 microgrammes.

He was arrested and taken to a police station where he gave a lower reading of 97 microgrammes, which the magistrates were asked to base their sentence on. After he was dealt with, the police officers gave McGowan a lift to a train station so he could get back home.

Philip Trotter, representing McGowan, said his client had been driving for 45 years without any points on his licence or disqualifications. He said: "The pressure, financially, has been building and they've been trying their best to keep their pub afloat. They took on the pub weeks before Covid struck.

"They've been trying to sell this massive weight that's around their necks. It's been loss after loss since lockdown. His intentions were to drive to the lakes to take his own life^[7] - he didn't intend to drink and drive.

"He stopped to use the loos at pubs and bought half a pint at every pub. Because of the frequency his cancer dictated, it built up and built up and built up.

"At that level we can expect an accident. He has accepted his wrongdoing from the very start."

The chair of the bench, Dr Phillip Russell, told McGowan: "Obviously to drive under the influence is a very serious offence and the reading was extremely high. However, we have listened to your defence advocate and understand the position you are in."

McGowan was fined £333 and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £133 victim surcharge^[8]. He was banned from driving for 25 months.

References

1. ^{^} East Midlands Airport (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
2. ^{^} Coronavirus (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
3. ^{^} Castle Donington (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
4. ^{^} Crashed van driver 'puzzled' to hear he was three times drink-driving limit (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
5. ^{^} Leicester Magistrates' Court (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
6. ^{^} Leicestershire Police (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
7. ^{^} take his own life (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
8. ^{^} fined £333 and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £133 victim surcharge (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)