Drunk magistrate escapes prison
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A drunk magistrate who smashed into two cars
while almost five times the limit has narrowly been spared
jail.
Canterbury city councillor Vince McMahan
was handed a three-month suspended sentence and banned from the
road for two-and-half-years at a hearing on Monday.
The case was heard 65 miles away at City of
Westminster magistrates court in London, after twice being
transferred at late notice from courts in Folkestone and
Medway.
Dad-of-three McMahan – who has revealed he
won’t be standing for re-election – admitted drink driving after a
session in the town.
The court heard he crashed into an oncoming
Ford Focus in Western Avenue, Herne Bay, before skidding into a
parked car belonging to city council officer Lyn McDaid.
The driver of the Ford – a 46-year-old woman
from Herne Bay – was unhurt in the smash at 5.15pm on
March 8.
McMahan, 50, of Plough Court , Broomfield ,
was arrested and failed a breathalyser test, giving a reading of
167 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath – the legal limit is
just 35.
His prison sentence was suspended for 12
months, meaning no action will be taken if he commits no further
crimes in the next year. He must also pay £85 costs.
After he was charged, McMahan told the Gazette
he had been taking anti-depressants and drinking more due to
personal issues.
He added: “I’m absolutely mortified. I’ve
never had so much as a point on my licence since 1978. It’s
humiliating and embarrassing.”
Before his court appearance, McMahan resigned
his role as a magistrate and announced he had asked to be taken off
the Tory candidate list for May’s local elections.
Speaking after sentencing he said: “I’m
relieved it’s over, but I badly regret it ever happened.
“I can only apologise. I can’t believe I got
it so wrong, but I did and I can’t take that back.
“I’ve just got to try and move on now and put
it behind me. I’m going to take a bit of time out and catch up with
family life, which I’ve neglected a bit.”
Herne Bay Gazette reporters drove more
than 100 miles trying to follow McMahan’s case through the court
system.
It was first listed to be heard at Folkestone
magistrates’ court last Wednesday, but was mysteriously transferred
to Medway magistrates to be heard on Monday.
Again the Gazette went along, but despite his
name being on the court list, McMahan's case had been
transferred to City of Westminster magistrates on an unknown
date.
A quick call to the court revealed the case
was heard and dealt with that day, with no press in attendance.
McMahan – who used to sit as a magistrate in
Sittingbourne and Maidstone – said: “I can only presume they wanted
it away from the Kent bench. I was never given a reason.”
What do you think? Leave a comment below.
Thursday, March 31 2011
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