Speeding drunk driver crashed into wall, court hears

An extremely drunk Wigan driver, who ploughed his car into a wall just a metre away from a young child, has narrowly avoided a jail term.
Wigan and Leigh Courthouse, where the hearing took placeWigan and Leigh Courthouse, where the hearing took place
Wigan and Leigh Courthouse, where the hearing took place

Martin Jackson was almost four times the drink-drive limit, and was driving at “excessive speed” when he hit a car park wall in Pemberton, on October 12.

When he was apprehended by police, a breath test found he had 136 microgrammes of alcohol in his system. The legal limit is 35.

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In a hearing at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court. 58-year-old Jackson, of Worsley Green, was given a suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to one count of drink driving.

Prosecutor Tess Kenyon was the first to address the bench of magistrates, providing details from a witness statement given by a member of staff at a local shop, who saw the events unfold.

It was around 2pm when she saw Jackson, who had driven from his home address around three minutes away, to the local shops.

The witness heard a car engine revving loudly, and saw a Peugeot 206 driving at “excessive speed” before hitting a wall in a car park.

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Ms Kenyon told the bench that the car had crashed about a metre away from a young child, and a pedestrian reportedly suffered a wrist injury after the shopping trolley they were pushing was struck by Jackson’s out of control vehicle.

Another witness to the incident ran over to Jackson’s car and removed the keys from the ignition, after seeing him try to reverse out of the wall and drive away. They noted a strong smell of alcohol coming from Jackson.

The police were called and he was arrested, and he apologised, saying he’d “had too much”, but he gave a “no comment” interview to officers at the police station.

Jackson was given a 12-week prison sentence which was suspended for 12 months. He must comply with an eight-week curfew between 6pm to 6am, and pay a victim surcharge and court costs totalling £207.

He was also banned for driving for three years.