Longer ban for driver who flouted law

8:40am Saturday 8th September 2012 in Local

A DRINK-driver with “contempt” for court orders has been banned from the road for an extra nine months.

Gareth Chapman, aged 27, admitted driving in Watergate Drive, Farnworth, on July 4 while he was disqualified.

Chapman was driving to work at 7.50am with a passenger in the car, which he had borrowed, when he was caught by police.

He was banned from driving for two years in December after being caught drinkdriving.

Chapman, of Kirby Avenue, Atherton, also has a previous conviction for another drinkdriving incident.

Bolton Magistrates’ Court heard he was driving to work as a self-employed cleaner when he was stopped.

The court heard Chapman claimed it was the first time he had been driving since being disqualified.

He claimed he had got behind the wheel because he had a backlog of work to complete as his pregnant partner had been in hospital three days before the incident.

District Judge Jonathan Finestein, sentencing, said: “I am not that stupid. You were going to work in a car and you were doing it all of the time and this time you got caught. It irritates me to try to create this sort of sob story.

“People who drink and drive kill people. If you kill yourself that’s your problem, but you put people’s lives at risk. You show complete contempt by driving again.”

He sentenced him to 160 hours of unpaid work, extended his driving ban to be lifted in September, 2014, and ordered him to pay £85 court costs.

Judge Finestein warned Chapman he would be jailed if he tried to “duck and dive” the sentence.

Comments (7)

10:20am Sat 8 Sep 12

Nibelung says...

"District Judge Jonathan Finestein, sentencing, said: “I am not that stupid. You were going to work in a car and you were doing it all of the time and this time you got caught. It irritates me to try to create this sort of sob story."

Why cant all our judges cut through the crap like that.
"District Judge Jonathan Finestein, sentencing, said: “I am not that stupid. You were going to work in a car and you were doing it all of the time and this time you got caught. It irritates me to try to create this sort of sob story." Why cant all our judges cut through the crap like that. Nibelung

11:14am Sat 8 Sep 12

macauley says...

ban him for life i say.
ban him for life i say. macauley

11:56am Sat 8 Sep 12

paul kirk says...

thats right extend his ban.....the one he already takes no notice off!!!
thats right extend his ban.....the one he already takes no notice off!!! paul kirk

1:25pm Sat 8 Sep 12

berushka says...

Nibelung wrote:
"District Judge Jonathan Finestein, sentencing, said: “I am not that stupid. You were going to work in a car and you were doing it all of the time and this time you got caught. It irritates me to try to create this sort of sob story."

Why cant all our judges cut through the crap like that.
Thought the very same thing myself. straight talking from the bench. Just a pity he couldn't have thrown this moron straight into jail, but watch out next time laddie!
[quote][p][bold]Nibelung[/bold] wrote: "District Judge Jonathan Finestein, sentencing, said: “I am not that stupid. You were going to work in a car and you were doing it all of the time and this time you got caught. It irritates me to try to create this sort of sob story." Why cant all our judges cut through the crap like that.[/p][/quote]Thought the very same thing myself. straight talking from the bench. Just a pity he couldn't have thrown this moron straight into jail, but watch out next time laddie! berushka

4:18pm Sat 8 Sep 12

lindlandl says...

Mmm that's reasonable berushka, you have the same opinion of our teachers as you do of this guy!
Mmm that's reasonable berushka, you have the same opinion of our teachers as you do of this guy! lindlandl

6:21pm Sat 8 Sep 12

Rememberscarborough says...

It's nice to know that there are judges out there trying to protect the public from people like this rather than the judges who think burglars are "brave". The public want more officials like Judge Finestein rather than the other idiots who don't seem to know what it's like to be a victim of "minor" crimes.
It's nice to know that there are judges out there trying to protect the public from people like this rather than the judges who think burglars are "brave". The public want more officials like Judge Finestein rather than the other idiots who don't seem to know what it's like to be a victim of "minor" crimes. Rememberscarborough

6:48pm Sun 9 Sep 12

I, Ludicrous says...

Words are one thing, actions quite another, and as refreshing as it is to learn Judge Jonathan Finestein's take on the matter he appears to have failed somewhat when it comes to meting out an appropriate punishment. Extend the ban of a man that's up before him for ignoring his ban? Do come on!
Words are one thing, actions quite another, and as refreshing as it is to learn Judge Jonathan Finestein's take on the matter he appears to have failed somewhat when it comes to meting out an appropriate punishment. Extend the ban of a man that's up before him for ignoring his ban? Do come on! I, Ludicrous

Comments are closed on this article.

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree