Drink driver banned for a second time following crash
Kelly Tompkins, 51, crashed his Vauxhall Combo van in Llanwnog, near Caersws, on the night of February 22 this year.
He admitted drink driving when he appeared at Welshpool Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, June 17.
Prosecutor Helen Tench said the single vehicle road traffic collision occurred on the B4568 at The Vicarage, Llanwnog, at around 10pm.
'Police had a call about a collision involving a white Vauxhall van, in which the driver was still trapped,' said Mrs Tench.
'The fire service were on the scene and the driver was trapped, but he managed to get himself out.
'Alcohol was smelt by officers and he was slurring his words and unsteady on his feet. The vehicle had rolled. He was taken to hospital.
'The defendant said he did not have much recollection of the crash and thought it was in a different place.
'He admitted driving and couldn't remember what he'd been drinking that evening.'
Mrs Tench said Tompkins had a previous drink driving conviction from 2016.
A reading showed Tompkins had 172 milligrams of alcohol in his blood – the legal limit is 80 micrograms.
Acting for the defendant, of Llanwnog, Gurleen Kaur said: 'He was compliant with officers, he even thanked them during police interview, in which he was honest and held his hands up.
'He had been in with friends drinking. He said he wanted to get away and ended up driving, which was a big mistake. He is remorseful.
'He is in employment as a farm engineer, he manages hen sheds. This is secure, despite the loss of his licence, although it will limit his employment. It would impact out of hours issues.'
Ms Kaur said Tompkins' niece was reliant on him financially and she said it would be 'incredibly difficult' for him to do any unpaid work due to being in full time employment, with the job being a very demanding one.
She said he had no convictions since his 2016 drink driving offence and he would welcome a chance to complete a drink driving awareness course.
Magistrates ordered a report and probation officer Carl Atkinson said: 'He says he has no memory of the event as he was knocked out.
'He takes full responsibility for his actions. This is his third offence, which are all related to alcohol, which poses concern."
Magistrates disqualified Tompkins for three years but offered him the chance to reduce this by allowing him to undertake a drink driving rehabilitation course.
He will be made the subject of a 12-month community order, which will include 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
He was also fined £362 and must pay a £114 surcharge and £85 costs.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Powys County Times
a day ago
- Powys County Times
Drink driver banned after swerving along busy Powys A-road
A prison officer seen swerving in the road and almost colliding with an oncoming car has been banned for 18 months for drink driving. Leah Hamblett, 29, was pulled over by police on mobile patrol along the A483 near Pool Quay, Welshpool at 2am on June 15. After failing a roadside breath test, she was arrested and taken to the police station where she gave a reading of 74 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. Hamblett, from Warrington, pleaded guilty to driving a Vauxhall Corsa when the alcohol level was above the 35mcgm limit when she appeared before Welshpool Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, July 1. "I'm gutted because I'd only passed my driving test two years ago. "I know what I did was wrong and I'll accept any punishment." Hamblett, who was representing herself in court, explained that following the breakdown of a long-term relationship earlier this year, she had received hospital treatment. She explained that she had been drinking and "was not dealing with things very well" after the crisis team's involvement in her rehabilitation ended in late May. Hamblett said she "doesn't know what to do" without her car which she needs for work at a prison, and she won't be able to take up her recent promotion at another prison. "I can't get on public transport because of my anxiety," she added. "I'm embarrassed with myself and I'm sorry".
Powys County Times
3 days ago
- Powys County Times
Wolverhampton man let brother drive Skoda without insurance
A student from Wolverhampton has admitted letting his brother drive without insurance on a Powys road. Benjamin Afidor appeared at Welshpool Magistrates' Court today (Tuesday, June 24) accused of permitting the use of a motor vehicle without insurance after his brother, David, drove a Skoda on the A483 in Newtown on June 3. The court was told that police had stopped the vehicle after noticing one of its brake lights wasn't working. Helen Tench, prosecuting, said: "The driver didn't appear to have control of the vehicle as it rolled back twice." The 32-year-old, of Lichfield Street, who was representing himself, told the court he thought he had insured his brother on the vehicle, but later realised the payment had not gone through. He said the incident had been "a bit scary" and "overwhelming". Afidor added: "It was my fault. My direct debit was declined, and he was driving. I had told him it was ok for him to drive." Magistrates fined Afidor £120, and he must also pay a £48 victim surcharge and costs of £85. His driving licence was endorsed with six penalty points. His co-accused brother, who is accused of using a vehicle without insurance, driving without a licence, and obstructing a police officer, had his hearing adjourned pending further investigations. The 33-year-old, of Lichfield Road in Wolverhampton, was granted unconditional bail pending a plea hearing at the court on July 22.
Powys County Times
6 days ago
- Powys County Times
Newtown Remembrance parade assault man's order extended
A Newtown man has had his community order extended after he missed three appointments. Dean Murphy had been due to attend the Kaleidoscope offices in Newtown on February 19 and 24, and again on March 28, but didn't turn up. The substance abuse sessions were part of the 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days that were part of the order set by Welshpool Magistrates' Court in January after Murphy assaulted an emergency worker during Newtown's Remembrance Sunday parade last year. He had completed three days. As part of the order, Murphy was told he would also have to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and be subject to a 120-day alcohol abstinence monitoring tag. The court was told yesterday (Tuesday, June 25) that although the abstinence had been completed, Murphy had only completed two hours of unpaid work and that there would be a further court hearing to remove them. Gurleen Kaur, defending, said there had been a "miscommunication" in which Murphy did not think the appointments were a mandatory condition of the court order, but added that he would be compliant in the future. The 37-year-old, of Heol Y Coleg in Vaynor, admitted the breach and was fined £120, and told to pay £65 court costs. But magistrates said they were concerned he would not complete the remaining 22 rehabilitation days before the order runs out, so they extended it by six months. Chairman of the bench, Stephen Pembroke, noted that Murphy hadn't "really done a lot towards this community order."
