SIX YEARS FOR DRIVER

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 21, 25 January 1936, Page 22

SIX YEARS FOR DRIVER

CRIPPLED A POLICEMAN

"You have been very nearly guilty of murder," said Mr. Justice Porter in passing sentence of six years' penal servitude at Leeds Assizes on Ernest Metcalfe, 27, of Harrogate, who pleaded guilty to a charge of causing grievous bodily harm to Constable C. Rhodes, of Harrogate, with intent 'to resist arrest, reports an English exchange. Metcalfe also pleaded guilty to charges of being drunk in charge ol a car, driving to the danger of the public, and taking away the car without the consent of the owner. He was sentenced to six months' imprisonment on each of these charges. In addition, he was disqualified for life from holding a licence.

Metcalfe pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempted murder, and the prosecution accepted this plea.

Mr. C. Paley Scott, K.C., prosecuting, said that as a result of an accident in which Metcalfe was involved, the policeman, who had mounted the footboard of the car driven by MetcalfK was knocked off as the car was swerved against a lamp post. The policeman suffered terrible injuries, his right leg having to be amputated. One of his arms was rendered useless, and he was now a cripple.

For the defence it was stated that Metcalfe had taken twelve pints of beer, and was incapable of realising what he was doing.

Sentence of two months' imprisonment, with a seven-years' driving disqualification, was passed at Bow Street on William Ernest Woodley, 30, a company manager, of Grove Gardens, St. John's Wood, for being under the influence of drink while driving a motorcar in St. Martin's Lane.

Mr. Dummett, the Magistrate, said "hundreds of people a week are being mutilated and killed on the roads. A great deal of that is due to the reckless criminality of people in charge of motor-cars. No form of reckless criminality can be worse than that of driving when under the influence of drink. .A car becomes a lethal weapon when driven by a person who is drunk."