Man had driven 'like a lunatic' (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Man had driven 'like a lunatic'

A disqualified driver who smashed his car into a tree after getting behind the wheel drunk was driving like a lunatic, a court has heard.

Father-of-four Wayne Green, 24, of Linden Avenue, Pinehurst, was showing off to friends and doing speeds of more than double the limit as he weaved between chicanes on Pinehurst Road.

Green pleaded guilty to seven motoring offences at Swindon Magistrates' Court on Saturday.

Five of the charges, including dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and drink driving, all relate to a crash in Pinehurst Road on Thursday.

The accident was the sixth time Green has been caught driving while banned.

Green was also charged with failing to stop after the accident and driving without any insurance following the smash that left his brother Michael in hospital.

Despite his brother being trapped in the car Green ran from the scene to avoid the police, the court heard.

Lynne Henderson, prosecuting, said the crash on Thursday happened when Green and his brother drove into town in his Vauxhall Cavalier to pick up a friend and two girls.

She said: "The manner of his driving was extreme. He, in interview, said that he was driving like a lunatic.

"He was showing off to the others inside the vehicle, travelling of speeds of up to 60mph or more on 30mph speed limits.

"He confirmed he had been drinking cans of Fosters and vodka. He knew he was drunk and knew he wasn't fit to drive."

Green had 62 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood nearly twice the legal limit of 35 micrograms when he lost control of his car and hit the tree.

He pleaded guilty to all of the offences as well as two from September 27 when he drove while disqualified and without insurance.

Following the September offences, Green was out on bail at the time of the Pinehurst Road crash and was due to be sentenced for those offences on October 13.

Rob Ross, defending, said that Green, who is the sole carer of his four children, aged between 10 months and six-years-old, regretted what he had done.

Mr Ross said: "As a consequence of the accident his brother was hurt and I have to say that his remorse for what he has done is quite clear."

Mr Ross added that Green was worried about not being able to look after his six-year-old son, who has cerebral palsy, if he goes to prison.

But magistrates remanded Green in custody to be sentenced at the Crown Court at a later date.

Chairman of the bench, Roger Williams, said: "We have decided that the offences are so serious that you should receive a greater punishment than we can impose."

Happened before

The crash was not the first time a driver has fled the scene after losing control hitting a tree in Pinehurst Road.

In June 2004 19-year-old Matthew Styles was killed when the vehicle he was travelling in crashed.

Gary Huckin, 36, of Naunton Road, Walcot, was sentenced to five years in jail for causing death by dangerous driving after he lost control of his Ford Mondeo while negotiating the chicanes.

Matthew's mum, Anne Styles, of Whiteman Street, Gorse Hill, said the crash had brought back painful memories for her.

She said: "I don't know what you can do with people like this. If this is the sixth time he has been caught driving while disqualified then obviously whatever they have done before has not worked as a deterrent."

Gareth Bethell