Motorcyclist left in coma after Bridgnorth crash was almost double the drink-drive limit
A motorcyclist who was in a coma for a week after suffering serious injuries in an crash in Bridgnorth was found to be almost double the drink-drive limit, a court was told
Martin Clifton was hospitalised for three weeks and was in a coma for one week after the accident.
He lost control of his motorbike on the A458 Stourbridge Road in Bridgnorth, Telford Magistrates Court was told.
The 37-year-old, of Kingsclere Walk in Wolverhampton admitted a charge of driving a motor vehicle over the legal alcohol limit.
He appeared before magistrates in Telford for a sentencing hearing.
The court heard his Suzuki GDXR 600 motorcycle was the only vehicle involved in the accident, which happened on November 26 2016.
Mrs Jenny Winzor prosecuting, told the court that emergency services were called to the scene.
Clifton was taken to the specialist Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham with serious head injuries.
Staff at the hospital began the drink-drive procedure and took blood but Clifton was unconscious and unable to consent.
On January 4, Clifton was able to consent to the blood sample being tested and he was found to have had 156 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.
The legal drink drive limit is 80 milligrammes of alcohol.
Sarah Cooper, for Clifton, said: “This is a classic case where you see what the dangers of drink driving are.
“The defendant does not remember any of the incident.
“He was in hospital for three weeks and in a coma for one.”
Ms Cooper told the magistrates court that he was still suffering ongoing problems and treatment for the injuries he suffered in the accident.
She told the court he was receiving sick pay and his wife had been forced to give up work after the accident in order to help in his recovery.
Magistrates ordered Clifton to pay a £200 fine, £135 costs and a victim surcharge of £30, a cost that goes towards supporting victims of crime.
He was also disqualified from driving for 18 months.
Sentencing Clifton, district judge Nigel Cadbury, said: “This is a very good example of the dangers of drink driving.
“The dangers are even more extreme when you are riding a motorcycle.”
