Blackburn drink-driver ran off after crash (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Blackburn drink-driver ran off after crash

7:00pm Saturday 23rd June 2012 in Blackburn By Andrew Bellard, Court reporter

A 38-YEAR-OLD HGV driver crashed his car after ignoring his partner’s pleas not to drive home from a Jubilee party.

Blackburn magistrates heard Andrew Stuart Harling was driving at “frightening” speeds before crashing into a car and a wall.

He ran off, but was later arrested hiding in a garden shed, and gave a breathalyser reading more than double to legal limit.

Harling, of Shaftesbury Avenue, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

He was fined £110 with £100 costs and banned from driving for 22 months.

Imposing the penalty, the chairman of the magistrates said Harling’s behaviour posed a genuine risk to other road users and the general public.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said Harling arrived at a party to collect his partner, Elaine Kemp. She immediately recognised he had been drinking and tried to persuade him to hand over the car keys.

“He refused and set off while her door was still open and before she had fastened her seat belt,” Miss Allan said.

“He drove off at speed and she estimates he was doing between 70 and 80mph.

“She held her head in her hands, she was so scared.”

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said Harling was deeply ashamed of what he had done.

“He has always been very careful about alcohol because of his job and is completely at a loss to explain why he has done this,” Mr Taylor said.