A former Llandrindod Wells soldier who went out to drown his sorrows after being discharged by the army, failed to provide a specimen or stay at the scene after crashing his car into a gate.
Jason Oliver Ernest Bundy, 20, of Commerce House, Station Crescent, admitted failing to provide a breath specimen and failing to stop at the scene of an accident, both of which occurred on August 2, when he appeared at Llandrindod Wells Magistrates Court last Friday.
Prosecuting, Kevin Challinor said that on August 2 police officers received information about a road traffic accident on Cefn Llys Lane. When they arrived at about 4pm, they saw a Citroen Saxo with front end damage and damage to a nearby gate and gatepost.
Someone at the scene said they believed the car belonged to Bundy and the officers made their way back towards the town centre where they saw Bundy staggering across the junction with no top on.
They approached him and he was arrested, handcuffed and taken to Newtown Police Station where he was asked to provide a sample. He was unco-operative with the police and swore at them so he was charged.
The magistrates heard Bundy had been banned from driving in October 2006 for 18 months for a similar offence.
Defending, Colonel Tim Van Rees said there was an element of tragedy to the case because in many ways Bundy was a very likeable young man, but he had difficulty with drink.
He said Bundy had joined the army and was training at Catterick, but as a result of pressures, largely from his girlfriend, he found he could not carry on with it and was made the subject of a discharge.
“On this evening, with the discharge hanging over him, he went into a public house and the disagreement problems overcame him. He told the bar person, having had a pint of Stella, ‘to fill a jar with sufficient alcohol to kill him’, and you know the rest of it,” Colonel Van Rees said.
“He drank far more than was good for him, he went out to drive the car, and he was incapable of providing a specimen of breath. A few hours later when he had sobered up he co-operated with the police and made a full statement.”
Colonel Van Rees said Bundy had no prospects, no income whatsoever and was now dependant on the charity of his family.
Bundy was sentenced to a 12 month community order with two requirements: one of supervision and the other to complete the Drink Impaired Driver’s Programme. He was banned from driving for three years and was ordered to pay £43 costs.
