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Drink drive teacher in M1 smashes
A DRUNK teacher who smashed into three vehicles on the M1 after downing a quarter of a bottle of whisky and a can of Special Brew has been spared jail.
John Buttery, aged 61, of Tyzack Road, Woodseats, Sheffield, was almost three times over the drink driving limit, a court heard.
He was only halted when a have-a-go hero blocked him off on a slip road before snatching the keys out of the ignition.
Magistrate Paul Beard, who sentenced Buttery at Chesterfield Magistrates' Court, slammed his driving exploits and said it was miraculous no-one was killed.
He said: "To describe your driving as crazy is an under-statement.
"It's a miracle that, out of the three accidents, you didn't kill anyone or yourself. It was suicidal driving. You never bothered to stop - you just carried on until the next accident."
The court heard Buttery had got lost travelling from his son's home to a funeral in Bournemouth and decided to drive home to Sheffield.
During the journey he necked a quarter of a bottle of Jack Daniels and a can of Special Brew.
Buttery said he had no recollection of events between Leicestershire and Chesterfield police station following his arrest.
Mike Treharne, prosecuting, told the court Buttery's Mazda MX3 convertible joined the M1 at junction 27 in Leicestershire on the morning of July 23.
It soon ran into the back of a Toyota and, according to a witness, veered "all over the road" before hitting the rear of an Audi A5 near Tibshelf services in North Derbyshire.
The teacher then smashed into the back of a lorry, but carried on driving - leaving his vehicle's front bumper trapped underneath the lorry.
Both the trucker and Audi A5 driver suffered whiplash injuries.
He then collided with the central reservation barrier before leaving the motorway at junction 29, where heroic Chesterfield man John Harrison prevented more carnage.
Mr Harrison told the court that it looked like Buttery had just woken up and when officers arrived he said: "I'm sorry - I'm drunk."
Probation officer James Smith told the court Buttery had taught woodwork and metalwork in secondary schools for 30 years and had worked as a supply teacher in Barnsley and Chesterfield since retiring two years ago - when he was also diagnosed with the depressive bipolar disorder.
Buttery was handed a 17- week sentence, suspended for a year, ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work, given a 28-month driving ban, and ordered to pay 85 in costs.
Buttery, who was a parent governor at his children's school, has since resigned from the post.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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