Drink driver in 'worst driving ever seen'

6:47pm Saturday 16th February 2008

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A drink driver who smashed into three cars near the notorious accident blackspot the Devil's Elbow at Read has been spared jail.

Engineer Stephen Traynor, 56, had written off an £18,000 Lexus and hit two other vehicles after overtaking against double white lines on Whalley Road, last November.

The defendant, whose actions were descibed by witnesses as senseless, irresponsible and the worst driving they had seen, was later found to be almost twice the limit, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Traynor, whose 'victims' escaped with minor injuries, had been committed for sentence by the town's magistrates who had said their powers of punishment were not sufficient.

But a judge let him walk free after telling him he had no previous convictions and if he was sent to custody it would be a drain on the taxpayer and he would lose his job.

Recorder Anthony Cross, QC, said when he had first read the papers in the case he had thought it was a dreadful piece of driving. He told Traynor :"If you read about this case in the local newspaper, not involving you, you would feel the person who committed these offences deserved to go to jail because that person put at risk the lives of a number of people."

The defendant, of Lower Laithe Cottages, Barrowford, admitted dangerous driving and drink driving. He was given 40 hours unpaid work, was banned for 12 months and must take a mandatory retest. He was ordered to pay £175 costs.