13 Year-old Guilty of Drink-driving
Monday, December 20, 2004

Road safety campaigners reacted with shock after a 13-year-old boy was convicted of drink-driving.

The teenager was breathalysed after being chased by police through the streets of Salford, Greater Manchester, in a stolen Ford Mondeo on November 1.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty at Salford Magistrates' Court to drink-driving, aggravated vehicle taking and driving with no insurance.

He is thought to be Britain's youngest-ever convicted drink-driver, and despite his age has already been disqualified from driving twice before.

Brigitte Chaudhry, of road safety charity Roadpeace, said: "It is shocking that someone so young could put other people's lives at risk as well as his own.

"We would like to see such people supervised properly by the schools and parents so that they are not able to do things like this.

"I have never heard of anyone so young being convicted of drink-driving. Drinking alcohol so young is one thing but stealing a car and driving it as well is both shocking and worrying."

Inspector David Murtagh, of Greater Manchester Police, said: "I have never heard of anyone this young being prosecuted for drink driving.

"This is a persistent young offender who engages in anti-social activity in his community. Those who commit these types of crime can expect intensive and robust attention from my officers."

The case was adjourned to Salford Magistrates' Court on January 6 for sentencing.

For more information click on or go to http://www.guardian.co.uk
© Guardian Unlimited 2004

**SIGH**

Words fail me

 

Sounds like chaos.

 

Ditto.

 

A typical example of where this country is heading. A lack of discipline in the home and at school. People like him are our future. Looks like we're fu*ked.

 

I keep saying the samething that it bores my gf to hell.

 

Bring back canning at school, never did me any harm!

 

A sound beating is the order of the day. They'll be too busy nursing a sore **** to think about causing mayhem.

 

So is that how you got the name buckrogers?

I shan't bother with a coat it's rather mild out this evening....

 

I'm surprised it hasn't happened before to be honest. 13 yr old kids (and younger) nick cars all the time, and you only have to check the state of some of the little kids hanging around certain corner-dwelling licensed premises to see that kids of that age get drunk too.

The parents should also be soundly birched alongside their offspring!

 

I'm not chav

 

..

 

Problem is, if the parents give the the little git a good hiding, they'll be the ones who end up being convicted. How can we discipline our kids when the govenment punishes us for doing so. Wasn't there a guy recently convicted of smacking his child 'a bit too hard' in his local high street? How do you reason with a 3 year old? 'Dont run out infront of that car or i'll give you a damn good talking to'? I don't think so. A short, sharp bit of pain on the back side never hurt anyone, and also lets the child know where they stand.
What is the world coming to????

 

shoot the parents, sterilise the kid and give him a frontal lobotomy for good measure.

 

Obviously had the required effect then................sigh.

I CANNOT believe this: at 13 he is ALREADY "banned" from driving, FFS, what's the point of punishing him by "banning" him again? Magistrates? Bah Humbug!

Alcazar

 

In the same vein I was reading the 'court appearances' in the Pontefract and Castleford Express last night whilst waiting for my chicken curry and fried rice. I was shocked at the lenience of sentencing for young (under 20) offenders. A good example: Two counts of common assault, two counts of theft, one count of anti-social behaviour = 1 month curfew order and £40 costs for a 19 year old. Who is that going to put off?

There's no fear of punishment from parents when you're young or state when you're older anymore. That's half the problem.

 

Won't be able to sit down in a car seat then!

 

Bring back the birch, the little barsteward

 

Yes, but read on, probably in the same paper, and see the huge fines handed out to first time offender motorists, for speeding, failing to supply details etc

Alcazar