Friend hospitalised by driver ploughing car into wall “at speed” after pub visit
The decision to drive was described as “foolish and extremely dangerous”
A man ploughed his car into a pub car park wall “at speed” while “three times” over the limit after an afternoon pub session - hospitalising his passenger for a week, a court heard.
Alfie Rose, aged 23, was found with an “open case” of alcohol in the footwell of his Suzuki Alto when police arrived at the scene and had been driving “at a much higher speed than others” at the time of the crash on June 1 2024 in Rotherham, Sheffield Crown Court heard.
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His female passenger spent a week in hospital with with a fractured elbow, ankle, foot, ribs and a punctured lung.
A judge told Rose, who was 20 at the time of the crash, he made a “foolish and extremely dangerous” decision to drive.
Jospeh Bell, prosecuting, described how on the day of the crash the defendant had been at a pub drinking with a group “for a few hours”.
He said: “The defendant and (a woman he was with) continued drinking and the next thing she remembers is waking up in hospital.
“Despite having been drinking the defendant left in his car - a Suzuki Alto - giving a lift to (his female colleague), travelling along Potter Hill at speed for four miles before crashing into a wall outside the Crown public house.
“Police found the defendant outside with an open case of alcohol in the driver’s footwell and a crate in the passenger footwell. The defendant was breathalysed and thought he would fail.”
Rose, who wept while being sentenced in court, blew a sample of 98 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath, the court heard, which was three times the drink drive limit.
His female passenger was taken to Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital, spending a week there with a fractured elbow, ankle, foot, ribs and a punctured lung.
In a statement the woman described a “long and painful” recovery including sleep trouble and feeling “unsafe” at night.
Ashleigh Metcalfe, defending, said Rose had lost his mother six months prior to the crash and had “resorted” to alcohol to cope with the trauma caused by her death.
She described how the now-23-year-old self-employed roofer had not drunk alcohol since that night over two years ago, while he had sought help from drug and alcohol charities and mental health support with charity Andy’s Man Club.
Judge Anthony Dunne told him: “At the end of the evening you took the foolish and extremely dangerous decision to offer her a lift, driving you and her home. You clearly had been drinking a substantial amount
“You clearly lost control and were travelling at a much higher speed than others. You fortunately escaped unscathed but (the victim) was not so lucky.”
However, taking into account Rose’s “clear” remorse, his lack of previous convictions, strong work ethic and abstinence from alcohol since, the judge suspended a 20-month jail term for two years.
Rose was also handed 180 hours of unpaid work and a three-year driving ban with an extended retest.
The defendant, of Barnsley Road, Rotherham, admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving.