DRUNK IN MOTOR

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 82, 17 January 1928, Page 3

DRUNK IN MOTOR

QUESTION OF A TEST,

(Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, January 16. The swaying of Henry Gilbert Hancock, who drove a car past the xlddiugton Police Station on Saturday, attracted the attention of a constable. When the constable saw Hancock stop his car, stagger round it, then get in and drive on again, he concluded that Hancock was drunk in charge of a car. He ran him down on a push bike, and Hancock appeared at the Magistrate’s (Jourt this morning charged with driving while in a state of intoxication. “1 said to him, ‘you’re intoxicated, old man,’ and we drove him back to the station,” stated the constable, when giving evidence before Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M. “He wanted to drive himself, but we would 1 not allow that. A sergeant from the station had joined me and the sergeant drove. We ran out of petrol on the way back, and filled up from a can which was in the car. We put him through the chalk line test, and he failed badly. Mr Lascelles, who appeared for accused, asked whether accused did not succeed in getting the full distance. “He walked the distance, but not on the chalkline,” said the constable. “The second time we asked him to put his hands in his pockets. He did so, and failed dismally, crossing his feet once or twice.” Mr Lascelles conferred with accused, and then announced that the plea was changed from “not guilty” to “guilty.” “Accused had a prohibition order which had just run out,” said Mr Lascelles. “He is a butcher’s assistant, and has a wife and child. He has only been before the Court once before, and that was for a very minor offence.” “If I fine him heavily I will he taking the wherewithal from his wife and child,” said Mr Mosley. “I must stop his driving for a while, however. Defendant is convicted and fined £3, his licensee is cancelled, and he cannot obtain another before April 1, 1929.”