Blind man given suspended sentence for 150-mile drunk drive across England
A British court handed a suspended prison sentence to a blind man who drove around 150 miles at night while drunk, without a licence or insurance.
Police stopped a Vauxhall Meriva on the M6 motorway near Carlisle in the early hours of 29 June after it was seen swerving between lanes and onto the hard shoulder. The driver, 50-year-old Anthony Hall of Huddersfield, has no driving licence and lost his sight about two years ago.
Hall told officers he had drunk four bottles of wine with his partner before setting off. He said he navigated the motorway by following the lights of a lorry ahead, since he can still perceive some light. He had taken the car from his partner without her permission and driven roughly 150 miles, intending to reach Scotland.
A roadside breath test recorded 50 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, later measured at 46 micrograms at a police station. The legal limit in England and Wales is 35 micrograms. No one was hurt in the incident.
Court proceedings
Kirklees Magistrates' Court heard that Hall had earlier pleaded guilty to all four charges: dangerous driving, drink-driving, driving without a licence or insurance, and taking a vehicle without consent. He had no previous convictions.
His defence lawyer told the court he had suffered a breakdown before the journey and felt trapped by his home life, wanting to get as far away as possible. The magistrate said Hall was of previous good character but had been in difficult personal circumstances, and while the threshold for custody had been met, she chose to suspend the sentence.
Hall received a 36-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. He must complete rehabilitation activities, abstain from alcohol for 90 days, was disqualified from driving for 12 months, and was ordered to pay £272 in costs.
