A self-employed electrician has been handed an 18-month driving ban after crashing his work van into trees at Noke Common whilst drunk.
Martin Kirwood-Slack, 42, of Sydney Close in Newport, pleaded guilty to 1 count of drink driving when he appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court.
Liz Miller, prosecuting, told the court that at around 01:10 on 16th December, Police were called to a report that a vehicle had crashed on the bend where Noke Common meets Noke Common Road. It was reported that the vehicle’s hazard lights were flashing and someone was standing in the road.
Police arrived at the scene and saw Kirwood-Slack standing next to the vehicle – a yellow Ford Transit van – which was wedged between the trees.
He admitted to officers that he was indeed the driver and owner of the vehicle and that he had been ‘stupid’.
The 42-year-old was arrested and went on to blow 69 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath on the evidential breathalyser at Newport Police Station – the legal limit being 35.
His yellow Transit remained at the scene for at least 5 days before it was eventually recovered.
Defending, Amy Hosell said that her client had been out drinking in Southampton with some friends that evening and that he had only driven after realising he left his phone at a friend’s address. It was also noted that the driving conditions at the time of the crash were icy and that the 42-year-old didn’t know the roads around the area. Ms Hosell also added that the father-of-2 was open and admitted that he committed the offence.
Kirwood-Slack was handed an 18-month driving ban. He was also ordered to pay a fine of £633, costs of £85 and a victim surcharge fee of £253.
Might be an Electrician, but not a Bright spark.
You can’t park there mate….ha ha ha ha ha ha
Smoke weed every day
Yes he was silly and could of killed,but he was honest and admitted offence and didn’t give police any bother,was insured,taxed and MOT, yet he gets a longer ban and much higher fine than others!. He’s come close to loosing his own life,has lost his van and probably now unable to work.
Would you still be so nicey-picey if he HAD killed someone ?….wake-up to reality, please !
Not being nicey-nicey just stating that if he had been chased by police, crashed into another,had no license etc and a lazy fraudulently claiming benefits and had committed same offence before would probably got 12mth ban and £85 fine to pay at £2 a week. We all agreed he was wrong to drive . Anyone can kill when driving – but statistically more likely to be killed by speeding legal driver’s,most under influence harm themselves or property.
Forgot his phone ,icy roads etc etc glad to see the sob story didn’t get the menace to society out of this one ,if he not crashed it there he could of killed someone on the next corner
Stupid, stupid man. Self employed and been done for Drink Driving. I have no sympathy for this fella. What is he going to do now for work? To live? To eat? To support a family if he has dependants? Hope those drinks were worth it fella?!?!?!?
They never think their gonna get caught. And had he not crashed he probably would of continued to get away with it perhaps indefinitely.
anther island driver what a D/H he is
Like most drink drivers, I doubt it’s the first time he’s driven over the limit. Now branded a local menace, all for what? A few drinks. If you’ve had a drink, walk, catch a bus, get a cab (expensive option, but still cheaper than a DD record on your file) or ring a friend if you have any. It’s just not worth the risk. Lucky no-one was hurt, but his vans a mess. Looked like a nice van on his Facebook profile. Don’t drink & drive!!!