Nwicker60
10-Jan-15, 09:44
Banned for three years and must resit test
A Tyne and Wear man, who took a forklift truck "for a spin" while visiting relatives in Caithness, failed to provide samples of breath and assaulted a police officer, has escaped a jail sentence.
Instead, Ryan Beresford has been ordered to carry out 270 hours of unpaid work.
In addition, he was banned from driving for three years and will require to pass a fresh test after the disqualification ends.
The accused was slammed by Sheriff Andrew Berry who said he didn't believe his version of events.
Beresford removed the forklift without permission from Achscrabster Quarry on September 27, but it broke down shortly afterwards. Police came upon him attempting to restart the vehicle, Wick Sheriff Court heard yesterday..
When asked to step down from the driver's seat, the accused was unsteady on his feet, overbalanced and fell into a drainage ditch.
Beresford, of 16A Beatrice Terrace, Houghton Le Spring, admitted removing the forklift, failing to provide samples of breath, assaulting a policeman and failing to obey a court order banning him from entering Caithness, except in connection with the case.
Social worker Alan Easton, who interviewed Beresford to obtain background to the offences, said that the accused told him that he had left his grandparents house at Achscrabster and gone for a walk. He was "off his face" with drink, found himself at the quarry, saw the forklift with the keys in the ignition and decided to "take it for a run".
Beresford had attempted to give breath at Thurso police station but was unable to carry out the procedure and he punched a policeman.
Solicitor Fiona MacDonald, for Beresford, that he had come north to stay with his grandparents in order to address drink and drug issues. The accused now intended returning south, to work in the family's garage business in Washington, near Newcastle.
Sheriff Andrew Berry rejected Beresford's claim that he was under the influence of drink to such an extent that he didn't realise what he was doing, happened to find himself at the quarry and saw the forlift which he thought he would take for a spin, and described the scenario as "extremely unlikely".
The sheriff told Beresford: "You say you tried to provide samples of breath when it was patently obvious you were doing nothing of the sort. Then you have the utter audacity to assault a police officer."
Sheriff Berry added that he had initially considered jailing the accused for several months.
A Tyne and Wear man, who took a forklift truck "for a spin" while visiting relatives in Caithness, failed to provide samples of breath and assaulted a police officer, has escaped a jail sentence.
Instead, Ryan Beresford has been ordered to carry out 270 hours of unpaid work.
In addition, he was banned from driving for three years and will require to pass a fresh test after the disqualification ends.
The accused was slammed by Sheriff Andrew Berry who said he didn't believe his version of events.
Beresford removed the forklift without permission from Achscrabster Quarry on September 27, but it broke down shortly afterwards. Police came upon him attempting to restart the vehicle, Wick Sheriff Court heard yesterday..
When asked to step down from the driver's seat, the accused was unsteady on his feet, overbalanced and fell into a drainage ditch.
Beresford, of 16A Beatrice Terrace, Houghton Le Spring, admitted removing the forklift, failing to provide samples of breath, assaulting a policeman and failing to obey a court order banning him from entering Caithness, except in connection with the case.
Social worker Alan Easton, who interviewed Beresford to obtain background to the offences, said that the accused told him that he had left his grandparents house at Achscrabster and gone for a walk. He was "off his face" with drink, found himself at the quarry, saw the forklift with the keys in the ignition and decided to "take it for a run".
Beresford had attempted to give breath at Thurso police station but was unable to carry out the procedure and he punched a policeman.
Solicitor Fiona MacDonald, for Beresford, that he had come north to stay with his grandparents in order to address drink and drug issues. The accused now intended returning south, to work in the family's garage business in Washington, near Newcastle.
Sheriff Andrew Berry rejected Beresford's claim that he was under the influence of drink to such an extent that he didn't realise what he was doing, happened to find himself at the quarry and saw the forlift which he thought he would take for a spin, and described the scenario as "extremely unlikely".
The sheriff told Beresford: "You say you tried to provide samples of breath when it was patently obvious you were doing nothing of the sort. Then you have the utter audacity to assault a police officer."
Sheriff Berry added that he had initially considered jailing the accused for several months.