An estate agent who ploughed his car into a taxi in Walsall town centre after binge drinking has been jailed for four months

Jul 29 2009 by Chris Henwood, Birmingham Mail

AN estate agent who ploughed his car into a taxi when he went through traffic lights on red after binge drinking at a wedding has been jailed for four months.

Andrew Morris, 28, had earlier crashed his Vauxhall Astra into barriers in Walsall town centre before forcing a police officer, who tried to stop his vehicle, to leap out of the way to avoid being hit.

Judge Nicholas Webb ruled Morris, of Ludlow Drive, Willenhall, deserved a “short sharp shock” as he also disqualified him from driving for two years.

After his arrest Morris, who had two previous convictions for speeding, was judged to be very drunk, but he refused to give police a breath specimen for further analysis.

Morris admitted driving dangerously and failing to provide the sample and he now recognised that binge drinking was not the way forward, said Glyn Whitehouse, defending.

He told the court that Morris was full of contrition for what he had done after he had been drinking heavily at the wedding and then, for no apparent reason, decided to drive his car.

Mr Whitehouse said that he was aware of the dangers his driving posed – particularly to the police officer who had to take action to avoid being struck by the Vauxhall.