Audi A8 - Ex footballer Dean Saunders jailed for breath test

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Wed 28 Aug 2019 18:57
Audi A8 - Ex footballer Dean Saunders jailed for breath test - Falkirk Bairn

Coming back from Chester races he was stopped by police in the early hours.

Refused a breath test - denied but then changed to guilty on Tuesday, jailed today for 70 days.

Banned, costs to pay and 10 weeks inside. The Judge had a low opinion of the former footballer.

Other Premiership footballers who have done time include

Duncan Ferguson - assault on the football field (1st ever case of assault on the field)

Joey Barton - assault

Ian Wright - failure to pay car fines

Adam Johnstone - underage sex

Tony Adams - drunk driving

Jermaine Pennant - Drunk driving

Marlon King - assault

Eric Cantona - assault

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Wed 28 Aug 2019 19:47
Audi A8 - Ex footballer Dean Saunders jailed for breath test - Brit_in_Germany

Technically, Cantona won his appeal against the sentence and it was reduced to community service.

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Wed 28 Aug 2019 20:25
Audi A8 - Ex footballer Dean Saunders jailed for breath test - madf

They are footballers: not people selected for their personal skills, love of others or belief in human rights and the rules of law..

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Thu 29 Aug 2019 10:53
Audi A8 - Ex footballer Dean Saunders jailed for breath test - Sulphur Man

As I recall, Saunders played for virtually every team in the EFL at some point or other, a prison team should be a new experience for him

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Thu 29 Aug 2019 11:35
Audi A8 - Ex footballer Dean Saunders jailed for breath test - oldroverboy.

How many can say,

There but for the grace of God go I?

I am still a firm believer in a nominal ZERO tolerance level.

Perhaps the time has come for a lower test level.

The alcohol limit for drivers is 80 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, 35 microgrammes per 100 millilitres of breath or 107 milligrammes per 100 millilitres of urine.

Zero, carry on sir, well done.

so blow 20 microgrammes £200 on the spot fine and 3 points.

Above that a heavier fine and mandatory 12 month ban and retest as well as courses on alcohol awareness.

2nd DWI 5 year ban.

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Thu 29 Aug 2019 13:12
Audi A8 - Ex footballer Dean Saunders jailed for breath test - Falkirk Bairn

Scotland has lower DD limits that E&W.

So low that 1 pint of ordinary beer could put you over.

Law of Unintended Consequences

Golf Courses, Bowling clubs, remote pubs closing as many drivers do not

risk one drink after a game or a round of golf.

How many low level drivers caught - very few - hardened drinkers caught every week in the local paper - 5/6 every week without fail - usually 3 - 6 x the level - more at Xmas despite the campaigns against DD.

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Thu 29 Aug 2019 13:33
Audi A8 - Ex footballer Dean Saunders jailed for breath test - IRC
l.

Perhaps the time has come for a lower test level.

Proven not to work in Scotland. Lower limit 80 down to 50 produced no reduction in deaths or accidents.

From The Lancet

"Lowering the driving BAC [blood alcohol content] limit to 0·05 g/dL from 0·08 g/dL in Scotland was not associated with a reduction in RTAs [road traffic accidents], but this change was associated with a small reduction in per-capita alcohol consumption from on-trade alcohol sales."

velvetgloveironfist.blogspot.com/2018/12/lowering-...l

So a bit less drinking at pubs but no change in accidents. Maybe the problem still is and always was drivers well above the 80 limit? Reducing the limit won't have any effect on drivers who ignore the current limit.

Edited by IRC on 29/08/2019 at 13:34

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Thu 29 Aug 2019 16:20
Audi A8 - Ex footballer Dean Saunders jailed for breath test - barney100

Certain people will always drink and drive no matter what punishment awaits. The laws on using mobile phones when driving are there but again some people ignore them. There was the footballers wife driving with her feet on the dashboard photographed...I hope they throw the book at her. Drink has been a problem for centuries and no one has come up with a solution.

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Thu 29 Aug 2019 17:12
Audi A8 - Ex footballer Dean Saunders jailed for breath test - FP

As far as I can see, Saunders was jailed for ten weeks for failing to provide a specimen. People may well assume he was over the limit, as there's no other credible reason to refuse. (Apparently he was recorded on camera slurring his speech when stopped, and before that his car was all over the road - which will also have been recorded.)

Stupidly, he initially denied the charge (how far did he think that was going to get him?) and there's no doubt in my mind that his obstructive behaviour (he was described as "arrogant" by the judge) contributed to the severity of his punishment.

But now he has been released on bail after one day in jail, while he pursues an appeal.

It would be nice if the appeal resulted in an increased sentence.

Edited by FP on 29/08/2019 at 17:14

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Thu 29 Aug 2019 17:48
Audi A8 - Ex footballer Dean Saunders jailed for breath test - Pondlife
It would be nice if the appeal resulted in an increased sentence.

I don't think it can. I believe an appeal against a sentence because it's manifestly excessive will leave the original sentence unchanged if the appeal fails.

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Fri 4 Oct 2019 14:47
Audi A8 - Ex footballer Dean Saunders jailed for breath test - Cris_on_the_gas

He won his appeal and the sentence has been suspended by 18 months. With 200 hours of community service.

To me this sends the wrong message

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Fri 4 Oct 2019 16:25
Audi A8 - Ex footballer Dean Saunders jailed for breath test - barney100

You can't put habitual drinkers off driving with any law, the same with some people using the phone whilst driving. Prohibition didn't work, the Temperance movement didn't work, gin caused many problems in London etc etc. All this millilitres talk doesn't mean much to most people, we need to know how much of this or that drink puts you over. I stick to half a pint if I'm driving to be on the safe side.

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Sat 5 Oct 2019 11:59
Audi A8 - Ex footballer Dean Saunders jailed for breath test - Bromptonaut

He won his appeal and the sentence has been suspended by 18 months. With 200 hours of community service.

To me this sends the wrong message

Telegraph report here:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/10/04/dean-saunders-jailed-saying-busy-watching-football-do-community/

Magistrates sentence was community service but he cavilled due to his broadcasting commitments. Bench then said OK matey, if that's your attitude you'll go to jail.

After a night in less than luxurious cell he changed his tune.

Crown Court with a senior judge then re-sentenced.

Edited by Bromptonaut on 05/10/2019 at 12:06

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Sat 5 Oct 2019 12:49
Audi A8 - Ex footballer Dean Saunders jailed for breath test - Zippy123

No sympathy from me.

If I drink I have some choices:

1. If a long way from home / very late; stump up for a hotel.

2. If not too late: Train to home station then taxi or ask SWMBO to pick me up.

3. If not too far from home, like the next town then taxi.

4. If just tipsy and within a mile or so of home then walk.

It's not complicated. He should get himself a chauffeur if he doesn't want to mix with Joe public.

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Sun 6 Oct 2019 14:37
Audi A8 - Ex footballer Dean Saunders jailed for breath test - concrete

Spot on Bromptonaut. The jail was in lieu of failure to accept a community service order. Footballers are not renowned for their intelligence and this proves the case. A fulsome apology and some contrition goes a long way in the eyes of the law. But footballer being what they are and having a very high opinion of their imagined 'status' this is not surprising. I also suspect that the law has gone as far as it can regarding preventing people driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. There is a hard core of offenders who will always accept the risk and carry on. Zero limits will not deter them at all. The sooner we have the technology for a vehicle to effectively breathalyse the driver before it will start, the better. That would be very effective in preventing this crime.

Cheers Concrete

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Sun 6 Oct 2019 16:34
Audi A8 - Ex footballer Dean Saunders jailed for breath test - dan86

Spot on Bromptonaut. The jail was in lieu of failure to accept a community service order. Footballers are not renowned for their intelligence and this proves the case. A fulsome apology and some contrition goes a long way in the eyes of the law. But footballer being what they are and having a very high opinion of their imagined 'status' this is not surprising. I also suspect that the law has gone as far as it can regarding preventing people driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. There is a hard core of offenders who will always accept the risk and carry on. Zero limits will not deter them at all. The sooner we have the technology for a vehicle to effectively breathalyse the driver before it will start, the better. That would be very effective in preventing this crime.

Cheers Concrete

I'm sure that technology already exists.

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Sun 6 Oct 2019 22:12
Audi A8 - Ex footballer Dean Saunders jailed for breath test - alan1302

The sooner we have the technology for a vehicle to effectively breathalyse the driver before it will start, the better. That would be very effective in preventing this crime.

Cheers Concrete

The technology exists - quite easy to get someone else to do it for you though...and a pain for everyone else.

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Mon 7 Oct 2019 17:43
Audi A8 - Ex footballer Dean Saunders jailed for breath test - concrete

Thanks for the information chaps. It is certainly a sure fire way of preventing driving whilst affected by alcohol/drugs. I wonder if it could become law. At present it is obviously voluntary, which kind of defeats the object. Law abiding and careful citizens will ensure they are safe to drive anyway, the other lot won't.

Cheers Concrete

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Tue 8 Oct 2019 14:20
Audi A8 - Ex footballer Dean Saunders jailed for breath test - alan1302

Thanks for the information chaps. It is certainly a sure fire way of preventing driving whilst affected by alcohol/drugs. I wonder if it could become law. At present it is obviously voluntary, which kind of defeats the object. Law abiding and careful citizens will ensure they are safe to drive anyway, the other lot won't.

Cheers Concrete

Would you want to have to blow into a breathalyser every time you start your car? If someone has had a drink all they need to do is get someone else to do it for them. It would not apply to older cars either.

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