Royal Navy sailor banned from the road after riding an e-scooter while over four times the drink-driving limit
Royal Navy sailor, 56, who crashed his e-scooter into a parked car while four times the drink-driving limit is banned from the road for nearly three years
- Derek Wilkinson, 56, of Portsmouth was seen ‘wiggling’ by a police officer
- He was banned from driving for 2 years and 8 months and £1,430 in fines
- He was not given community service for his ‘previous good character’
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A Royal Navy ‘hero’ sailor has been banned from the road after riding an e-scooter while under four times the drink-driving limit and crashing into a car.
Derek Wilkinson, a Chief Petty Officer, was spotted by a police officer speeding past and ‘wiggling’ on the electric vehicle in his hometown of Portsmouth in Hampshire.
The officer then saw the drunken 56-year-old crash into a parked car and tumble onto the road.
A police breathalyzer showed he was nearly four times the drink-driving limit.
Derek Wilkinson, 56, at Portsmouth Magistrates Court where he was banned from driving for two years and fined £1,430 for riding a hired e-scooter while under four times the drink-driving limit
Wilkinson pleaded guilty to the offense and today was given a driving license disqualification for two years and eight months and was ordered to pay £1,430 in fines and costs at Portsmouth Magistrates Court.
The court heard that the senior sailor was spotted on the rental e-scooter at around 8 p.m. in Hants on December 4 last year.
After noticing that Wilkinson was “wobbly,” the officer saw him collide with the parked car and get off the scooter.
Graham Heath, prosecutor, told Portsmouth Magistrates Court: ‘He was speeding by a police officer and attracted attention because he was described as wobbly.
“It was only a matter of time before he fell off or crashed into something – both happened, in fact. The police then intervened.’
When tested, Wilkinson gave a reading of 130 micrograms of alcohol per 100 milliliters of breath. The legal limit is 35.
The e-scooter app, which drivers must download to rent one of the vehicles, states that it is an offense to operate them while exceeding the legal limit.
Howard Barrington-Clark, defending Wilkinson, asked for leniency “for everything he has done for his country.”
He added that Wilkinson plans to leave the Navy and live with his family in New Zealand and asked magistrates not to impose any community punishment, including unpaid work, that could jeopardize that.
Mr Barrington-Clark said: ‘[Wilkinson] is a hero, a saint and a fool – all three.
“Please don’t lock him up emotionally here. Show compassion and step outside the guidelines for once.”
Chairman Nick Mansfield told Wilkinson, “We’ve heard about you and we’ve reviewed the case and our sentencing guidelines.
‘You are a man of rather good character. Due to your personal circumstances, we do not consider it appropriate to impose community service.’
Instead, Wilkinson was fined £961 and ordered to pay £85 and a £384 surcharge.
Mr Mansfield added: ‘We are going to disqualify you from driving for 32 months.
“We offer you to reduce the disqualification by 32 weeks by taking a course.”
Wilkinson was denied community service by the judge due to his “previous good character” and personal circumstances as he intends to leave the Navy to live in New Zealand with his family