A STUDENT who had a drink with friends after work and then crashed a car into a skip on his way home has been banned from driving.
Jack Crossland, 22, of California Gardens, Barnsley, had finished his shift as a barman on March 3 and was driving along Intake Lane, Pogmoor, in a Ford Fiesta just before midnight when the incident occurred.
Barnsley Magistrates’ Court was told the airbags deployed on impact and two witnesses came out of their houses to assist Crossland and contacted the police.
Crossland, an architect student at the University of Huddersfield, attempted to move the Fiesta without success.
The police took a roadside breath test and he was found to be over the limit. When he was breath-tested in custody he was found to be more than twice the drink drive limit.
Crossland pleaded guilty and upon sentencing district judge Joanne Hirst said: “You have no previous convictions and I can see that you are intelligent and you have everything going for you. I don’t understand why someone of your intellect would get behind the wheel after having a drink.
“You could have killed yourself or someone else and that is the severity of your actions. There is no explanation to justify why you decided to get behind the wheel.”
Crossland was given a 20 month driving ban, £300 fine, £85 court costs and a £30 government surcharge.
Ms Hirst added: “I am fining you at the higher level to reflect the seriousness of your behaviour. I don’t expect to see you in court again. You need to draw a line under this and move on. You have a bright career ahead of you.”
