Judge bows out by sparing drink-driver prison

Thursday 05 January 2017

A drink-driver who might usually have found himself behind bars has escaped jail because of the exceptional nature of his offence, it was a new year, and because it was the judge’s last case.

Sentencing John Wright to 70 hours’ community service and a 12-month ban, Relief Magistrate Graham Boxall, told the accused he’d come to his decision because it was a new year and his last case, and he wanted to give the man a chance to make a fresh start.

Police stopped Mr Wright just after 16:00 on Tuesday not far from their Rouge Bouillon Headquarters after being tipped off by a member of the public.

According to the arresting officer although Mr Wright did not appear to be drunk and was very compliant and very polite, he did smell of alcohol, and there was an empty brandy bottle in the car. Tests later showed he’d drunk nearly three times the legal limit.

In legal terms that put him in band D – one of the most serious – and one that usually means prison.

Mr Wright’s defence said he’d only been in the Island for three weeks and had only driven because he was in a state of panic. He’d lost his dog, and had rushed into town to pick it up after being told it was at the Animals’ Shelter.

Magistrate Boxall noted that perhaps Mr Wright was, “...sufficiently used to it [drinking alcohol] not to show it too badly,” but that he was “heavily intoxicated,” - nevertheless he was going to give Mr Wright the chance to start afresh and wouldn’t be sending him to prison.

Magistrate Boxall then signed of by praising the Magistrate’s Court which he called a superb building, all the staff he’d had the pleasure of working with including the honoraries and probation service, and by saying he felt privileged to have been involved with the administration of justice.