Teh One Who Knocks
10-30-2020, 11:55 AM
By Mark Branagan & Douglas Patient, Assistant News Editor - The Mirror
https://i.imgur.com/KR0AyvM.jpg
A drink driver who dodged a ban by pretending his girlfriend was dead has been jailed for perjury – after she answered the door to stunned police officers.
Graham Nelson, 40, sobbed in the dock while claiming he had only got behind the wheel because his partner Holly Carpenter, 31, had begged him for help.
He was let off with an absolute discharge and allowed to keep his licence.
But a suspicious clerk to the court in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, realised that his story did not add up.
Durham Crown Court heard Nelson was pulled over in Darlington at 1.27am on June 27 2019.
Prosecutor Jane Waugh said he blew 77 and 76mg of alcohol, compared to the legal limit for driving of 35mg.
https://i.imgur.com/CnDsEfd.jpg
He made no mention of any medical emergency until his first appearance before magistrates, a fortnight later.
He also claimed the woman, who suffered from cystic fibrosis, had since died on July 6 2019.
Nelson denied driving with excess alcohol previously, despite convictions for drink driving and failing to provide a breath specimen.
https://i.imgur.com/JdwiHNF.jpg
He said his partner called him as she could not breathe and, as he was unable to get a taxi, he drove to her house.
Miss Waugh said during the hearing he was visibly upset and crying, convincing the magistrates who said he should seek counselling.
The bench gave him the absolute discharge, and waived the mandatory disqualification.
When the clerk studied her notes, she spotted photos of the medication submitted in support of Nelson’s case showed a prescription date several weeks after he claimed his partner had died.
https://i.imgur.com/RY1fTo8.jpg
Police were informed and, after checks revealed that no death had been registered for his partner, officers visited the address and were greeted by the woman, who was alive and well.
When arrested, Nelson said he would have lost his car and job if banned, and “panicked” into concocting his story.
Nelson, of Darlington, admitted perjury.
Michele Turner, mitigating, conceded his actions were “particularly cruel and distasteful”, but said his partner does suffer cystic fibrosis and, as he is her main carer, she would suffer if he was jailed.
https://i.imgur.com/RZ6K2He.jpg
Judge Ray Singh said the defendant has claimed “exceptional circumstances” previously, on oath, to fool a court.
He said it had to be met with a deterrent sentence, but because of the woman's condition, he reduced the jail term to six months.
Nelson was also banned from driving for two years and three months.
Detective Constable Liam Robertson, who led the investigation, said: “This defendant has attempted to pervert the course of justice and avoid sentencing at court by heinously playing on his partner’s medical conditions to try to sway leniency with the court.
“Perjury is a serious matter that strikes at the foundation of our justice system so I hope this serves as a warning for other people who may consider lying to us and the courts.”
Speaking to the Sun, Ms Carpenter said: “I was very angry when I found out he had said I had died. It was such a stupid thing to say.
"But it was out of worry for me. He knew that if he got sent to prison, I’d be on my own.”
https://i.imgur.com/KR0AyvM.jpg
A drink driver who dodged a ban by pretending his girlfriend was dead has been jailed for perjury – after she answered the door to stunned police officers.
Graham Nelson, 40, sobbed in the dock while claiming he had only got behind the wheel because his partner Holly Carpenter, 31, had begged him for help.
He was let off with an absolute discharge and allowed to keep his licence.
But a suspicious clerk to the court in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, realised that his story did not add up.
Durham Crown Court heard Nelson was pulled over in Darlington at 1.27am on June 27 2019.
Prosecutor Jane Waugh said he blew 77 and 76mg of alcohol, compared to the legal limit for driving of 35mg.
https://i.imgur.com/CnDsEfd.jpg
He made no mention of any medical emergency until his first appearance before magistrates, a fortnight later.
He also claimed the woman, who suffered from cystic fibrosis, had since died on July 6 2019.
Nelson denied driving with excess alcohol previously, despite convictions for drink driving and failing to provide a breath specimen.
https://i.imgur.com/JdwiHNF.jpg
He said his partner called him as she could not breathe and, as he was unable to get a taxi, he drove to her house.
Miss Waugh said during the hearing he was visibly upset and crying, convincing the magistrates who said he should seek counselling.
The bench gave him the absolute discharge, and waived the mandatory disqualification.
When the clerk studied her notes, she spotted photos of the medication submitted in support of Nelson’s case showed a prescription date several weeks after he claimed his partner had died.
https://i.imgur.com/RY1fTo8.jpg
Police were informed and, after checks revealed that no death had been registered for his partner, officers visited the address and were greeted by the woman, who was alive and well.
When arrested, Nelson said he would have lost his car and job if banned, and “panicked” into concocting his story.
Nelson, of Darlington, admitted perjury.
Michele Turner, mitigating, conceded his actions were “particularly cruel and distasteful”, but said his partner does suffer cystic fibrosis and, as he is her main carer, she would suffer if he was jailed.
https://i.imgur.com/RZ6K2He.jpg
Judge Ray Singh said the defendant has claimed “exceptional circumstances” previously, on oath, to fool a court.
He said it had to be met with a deterrent sentence, but because of the woman's condition, he reduced the jail term to six months.
Nelson was also banned from driving for two years and three months.
Detective Constable Liam Robertson, who led the investigation, said: “This defendant has attempted to pervert the course of justice and avoid sentencing at court by heinously playing on his partner’s medical conditions to try to sway leniency with the court.
“Perjury is a serious matter that strikes at the foundation of our justice system so I hope this serves as a warning for other people who may consider lying to us and the courts.”
Speaking to the Sun, Ms Carpenter said: “I was very angry when I found out he had said I had died. It was such a stupid thing to say.
"But it was out of worry for me. He knew that if he got sent to prison, I’d be on my own.”