Getting a bit tired... maybe I'll rest here...

Osem · 29-01-2008, 20:37

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/d...re/7215117.stm

In the MIDDLE LANE??

Hom3r · 29-01-2008, 20:39

Should have been locked up

BBKing · 29-01-2008, 21:50

A bit harsh to lock him up for that, surely? Also, it says 'middle of the M1' rather than 'middle lane'.

Actually, I suspect there's an interesting legal issue here - since he was parked at the time there's no question of dangerous driving (dangerous parking, perhaps), so it's hard to see what else apart from drink-driving he could be charged with. However, drink-drive laws make it clear that you've got to be under the limit any time you're in charge of a vehicle, even if stationary. Like I said, interesting.

Since he was only twice the limit and hadn't aggravated it by crashing into anyone, presumably a non-custodial sentence would follow. Stopping on a motorway is illegal on its own of course, but jail for it?

[Nasty sectarian sod though, according to his wikipedia entry. Plenty of previous there. Currently someone has altered part of the entry to read 'utter baw bag'. Cheeky.]

alferret · 29-01-2008, 22:04

The way I heard it he was straddling both middle and outside lanes when stopped, either he stopped and was reported or was stopped by police heard this on R1 on way home from work.

Nugget · 29-01-2008, 22:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBKing

[Nasty sectarian sod though, according to his wikipedia entry. Plenty of previous there. Currently someone has altered part of the entry to read 'utter baw bag'. Cheeky.]

Realistically, I suppose it doesn't matter if he's a sectarian sod, a drunk or whatever. What does matter though, is that he's obviously a complete pillock...

BBKing · 29-01-2008, 22:37

Let's see. [muse]

Yep. He's a pillock. The previous apparently includes not turning up to court and a warrant being issued, plus writing sectarian abuse when giving an autograph.

More details:
http://www.therams.co.uk/details.asp?key=1D29|0|2185366269754|R|536|1251827 291200851100132

Quote:

The court heard that a vehicle recovery driver found the former Rangers star asleep at the wheel of his Range Rover in the second lane of the motorway at around 6.30am.
...
Angela Hadfield prosecuting said: "He was slumped over the wheel. He then drove the vehicle to the hard shoulder.

and, tellingly:

Quote:

Malcolm was originally charged with driving with excess alcohol, but the charge was changed to driving while unfit through drink due to problems with a defective second reading after he was taken to the police station.

The difference here is that 'unfit' doesn't mean you were over the limit, so presumably the police couldn't prove that through lack of evidence. He pleaded guilty to the apparently lesser charge, although looking at it, it's not really a lesser charge since the penalties are the same - maximum of six months jail, Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£5000 fine, a long ban and up to 11 points.

Here's someone who got the full Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£5000, and he caused an accident and refused to give a sample. He *was* lucky not to go to jail, possibly because he pleaded guilty but also because the judge preferred to punish him directly with a large fine rather than the people in his company who might have lost their jobs through no fault of their own.

http://www.northantset.co.uk/news/Dr...000.3653134.jp

Derek · 29-01-2008, 22:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBKing

Yep. He's a pillock. The previous apparently includes not turning up to court and a warrant being issued, plus writing sectarian abuse when giving an autograph.

He's not exactly missed by the Rangers support.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBKing

The difference here is that 'unfit' doesn't mean you were over the limit, so presumably the police couldn't prove that through lack of evidence.

From reading between the lines I'd imagine the difference in levels between the samples were too high and they decided not to go down the route of blood/urine testing.

Still chopping him for a Section 4 would of been easier as it gives a lot of lee-way as to what is/isn't classed as impaired.

If the 2nd reading wasn't admissible on the station breath test I'd have been tempted to charge him with dangerous driving, in case some smarmy lawyer got him off the unfit through drink or drugs charge, for the complete stop in the road.

tweetypie/8 · 29-01-2008, 23:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Osem

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/d...re/7215117.stm

In the MIDDLE LANE??

a total prat.

DocDutch · 30-01-2008, 08:04

he should've been locked up..dangerous driving or in his case parking.

I'll bet you if it was any other joe bloggs (not footballer or politician) then we would be in jail in notime.

Vlad_Dracul · 30-01-2008, 09:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Osem

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/d...re/7215117.stm

In the MIDDLE LANE??

No problem.

Its just a natural progression. So many retards spend their day driving in the middle lane that its inevitable that they would eventually feel that its ok to park there also.

Derek · 30-01-2008, 11:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by DocDutch

I'll bet you if it was any other joe bloggs (not footballer or politician) then we would be in jail in notime.

The sentence is par for the course for drink driving, if anything its possibly a bit harsher than a 'joe bloggs' would get for a first offence.

Osem · 30-01-2008, 11:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBKing

A bit harsh to lock him up for that, surely? Also, it says 'middle of the M1' rather than 'middle lane'.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.../nsleep130.xml

keithwalton · 30-01-2008, 12:23

If he was in America its likely that it would of ended in a big accident. You just have to watch those police camera programs on tv and you'll horrendous accidents caused by broken down vehicles stranded in the middle of a motorway.

The problem usually is by the time the other drivers notice that the vehicle isn't actually moving anywhere its to late to brake or swerve out of the way.