DRINK AND DRUG DRIVER WHO FLED WHIPPINGHAM CRASH SCENE HANDED INTERIM BAN

A drink and drug driver from Whippingham who crashed his Ford Focus before fleeing the scene has admitted his guilt at court. 32-year-old Michael Knight pleaded guilty to 4 charges when he appeared before Magistrates on Friday morning (23rd August). He stood accused of failing to stop after a road accident, drink driving, drug driving (BZE) and driving with no insurance. Lauren Stone, prosecuting, detailed to the court how at around 18:00 on 2nd March this year, Police were called to reports of a road traffic collision on East Cowes Road involving 2 vehicles, with 2 occupants of a Ford Focus seen to leave the scene of the crash. Magistrates heard how officers arrived to find a car with heavy front-end damage having collided with a telegraph pole some 20m further up the road. A vehicle check led those responding officers to the registered keeper’s address – also on East Cowes Road – where they discovered Knight. He initially denied being the driver, but others at the property disclosed that Knight and another male had in fact been out in the car. In interview, Knight admitted to Police that he was ‘worried and scared’ and that is why he made initial denials. The court heard that the 32-year-old has 17 previous convictions for 22 offences including drink driving in 2009 and 2011. His most recent conviction was in June this year for being drunk and disorderly. He is currently subject to 2 community orders. Magistrates decided that a pre-sentence report is required ahead of sentencing, so adjourned the case until 1st November. Knight has been slapped with an interim driving ban in the meantime.