Brockmoor taxi smash driver spared jail (From Halesowen News)

Brockmoor taxi smash driver spared jail

5:03pm Monday 6th July 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

A BANNED drunk driver from Brockmoor who ploughed into a taxi has been spared time behind bars.

Father-of-two Paul Warr smashed into the taxi as he drove the wrong way up Dudley by-pass while trying to get away from men who had thrown a stone through the rear window of his vehicle.

Today (Monday July 6), at Wolverhampton Crown Court, Edward Soulsby, prosecuting, said Warr, aged 27, was two and a half times over the legal alcohol limit after drinking with friends in JB's club and reacted in a desperate bid to get away from the other men.

Mr Soulsby said it was accepted that Warr feared he would be attacked by the other men but stressed: "There were other routes he could have taken to get away from these people lawfully”.

Warr, of Station Road, admitted driving dangerously, with excess alcohol, while disqualified and without a licence or insurance and was given a three month jail term suspended for a year.

He further admitted the offences breached a suspended prison sentence for false representation and was also banned from the roads for a year and placed under supervision for a year.

Deputy Circuit Judge David McEvoy QC told Warr he must also carry out 120 hours community punishment and ordered him to pay £1,000 compensation to the taxi driver for his injuries which included fractured ribs.

The Judge described the facts of the case as "quite exceptional" and ruled he was just able to allow Warr to keep his freedom after a plea for mercy from his sister.

Charnjit Jutla, defending, said it was conceded by the prosecution that Warr's car had been attacked.

Mr Jutla said: "He accepts what he did afterwards was extremely foolish.”

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)