Drink-driver hit pedestrian on the pavement

A drunk driver seriously injured a pedestrian while committing his third offence of driving with excess alcohol.
Blackpool Magistrates CourtBlackpool Magistrates Court
Blackpool Magistrates Court

Christopher Pawson collided with a man walking along Tithebarn Street, Poulton, after losing control of his car one afternoon when he was two-and-a-half times over the limit.

Pawson, a 28-year-old joiner, of Mains Lane, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to drink-driving.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He was sentenced to a 12- month community order, told to do 100 hours’ unpaid work for the community, disqualified from driving for 40 months and ordered to pay £85 costs with £60 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

The court was told that on January 16 about 4.30pm, Pawson was driving a Fiat Punto in Poulton when he collided with a pedestrian on the pavement, knocking him down an embankment.

Police smelt alcohol on his breath at the accident scene and a breath test showed he had 56 micrograms of alcohol in his body – 35 is the limit.

He had two previous convictions for drink-driving from 2006 and 2008.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Stephen Duffy, defending, said the day of the accident there had been torrential rain and it then turned very cold. Water tended to pool on that road and Pawson did not know whether his car skidded on ice or hydroplaned.

Pawson had tended to the victim and called an ambulance. He has now written the victim a letter.

Probation officer Lesley Whittaker, said the day of the offence Pawson had drunk two cans and two bottles of lager. He had arranged a night out in Manchester and was on his way to the train station.