67-year-old Daryl Geach has been disqualified from driving for 12 months and fined nearly £400 after he was caught drink driving through Godshill whilst carrying an offensive weapon earlier this year.
Geach, of Marymead Close in Ryde, pleaded guilty to 2 offences last week when he appeared before the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court on Friday morning.
The pensioner was driving a black VW Amarok on Bathingbourne Lane, near Godshill, when he collided with a fence and a tree.
The single-vehicle RTC, which occurred at around 20:50 on 15th May, saw an emergency service response.
When officers arrived on scene, members of the public alerted them to the fact they thought Geach may be intoxicated. Geach immediately admitted to attending officers that he was drunk.
Following the arrest of Geach, an officer went back to the vehicle and opened the front driver’s-side door; it was here that a telescopic baton was seen to be lying in the door compartment in what prosecutor Liz Miller said was ‘easy access’ to the weapon.
Geach was taken to Newport Police Station where a blood alcohol test was carried out. The test confirmed a reading of 131 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milligrammes of blood – the legal limit being just 80.
Defending, Oscar Vincent told the court that he would like a pre-sentence report to be carried out by probation – something that was able to get done the same day, meaning Geach could reappear for sentencing in the afternoon sitting.
Following the completion of a rare same-day PSR, the 67-year-old returned to the dock where a probation officer told the Magistrates of her report’s findings.
It was said that on the evening of 15th May, the armed forces veteran made some bad decisions following the news that his friend and fellow veteran had cancer. Following the conversation that took place in a nearby pub, the defendants friend left upset and distressed.
The court heard that the defendant made the decsion to drive to find his friend as he was concerned about his welfare.
Probation also said that previously, Geach had been a victim in an attack in which someone tried to steal his car. Ultimately, no further action was taken in relation to the attack, which left Geach feeling scared and therefore turning to possessing an offensive weapon.
Magistrates ordered Daryl Geach to pay a total of £319 to the court, as well as ordering him to complete 10 rehabilitation days, forfeit the baton for its destruction and they disqualified him from driving for 12 months.
