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Everton footballer banned from driving after hitting cyclist and fleeing the scene

Darron Gibson ploughed into three cyclists before driving into a petrol pump shortly afterwards

Everton and Republic of Ireland midfielder, Darron Gibson, has been banned from driving for 20 months and sentenced to a 12-month community order after hitting a cyclist while driving drunk in Bowdon on August 16.

The BBC reports that Gibson entered guilty pleas at Trafford magistrates’ court to driving with excess alcohol, driving without due care and attention and failing to stop after an accident had occurred.

The black Nissan Skyline GT-R Nismo driven by Gibson ploughed into three cyclists who had stopped on a pavement to fix a chain. One cyclist was hit, sustaining cuts and bruises, and his carbon fibre bike was destroyed.

Gibson then drove off at speed before pulling into a petrol station where he collided with a pump, emerging from the car with no shoes on to fill up with fuel. It was at this point that a member of staff contacted the police.

The court heard that Gibson had been on a birthday night out with Everton team-mates, where he had been drinking lager and vodka on top of painkillers that he was taking following a hernia operation.

He returned home in the early hours, but left again later that morning following an argument with his wife. When breathalysed, the level of alcohol in his breath was found to be 57mg per 100ml – the legal limit is 35.

Chair of the bench, Susanne O'Connell, said the failure-to-stop offence was sufficient to warrant a community penalty – a 12-month order with an unpaid work requirement of 200 hours.

Gibson was also banned from driving and ordered to pay compensation of £4,500 for the damaged bike and £1,000 to the injured cyclist, plus £100 each to the other two involved, as well as £295 court costs.

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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31 comments

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Simmo72 | 8 years ago
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Rather than Jail, send them to A&E to observe the devastation driving like an idiot creates.

Earning related fines seem like a very good idea to me. The impact on his tasteless existence is minimal.

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Pedro Stephano | 8 years ago
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I find one particular aspect of this story quite disturbing. When I had a hernia operation six years ago, I was told by my surgeon not to drive until surgical review (3-4 weeks post-op). In addition, I know that painkillers prescribed post-operatively would more than likely include a "do not drive whilst on this medication" warning. The DVLA has very strict rules for doctors and drivers regarding driving whilst not being medically allowed. I think this should be explored with a view to increasing his ban.
Q. Was he told not to drive by his surgeon?
Q. Was he told not to drive by his pharmacist?
If he then drove despite this advice, he should be suffering a much much longer ban.

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ianrobo | 8 years ago
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too true but if a govt proposed 2 year min sentence for drink driving there would not be anyone serious against it.

It is a choice you make to drive when drunk and a price to pay of which Gibson and many others do not pay but those they kill and maim they do.

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ianrobo | 8 years ago
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what is strange in all this is that very few in the wider public would be against jail sentences for drink drivers ...

So what does stop them ?

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mrmo replied to ianrobo | 8 years ago
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ianrobo wrote:

what is strange in all this is that very few in the wider public would be against jail sentences for drink drivers ...

So what does stop them ?

there by the grace of god go i

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/charles-kennedy-death-why-...

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Ducci | 8 years ago
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'the way they drive falls far below the minimum acceptable standard expected of a competent and careful driver; and
it would be obvious to a competent and careful driver that driving in that way would be dangerous.'

The above is a quote from the CPS's website for the definition of dangerous driving. It would seem getting pissed and then driving somehow sits outside this, merely driving without due care or attention. Make of that what you will.

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farrell | 8 years ago
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I wouldn't be surprised if his clubs insurance prevented him from cycling on the roads.

You know, in case some whopper in a car smashes in to him and puts his football career in jeopardy.

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cat1commuter | 8 years ago
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I think he should be made to ride his bicycle to training. It might make him consider vulnerable road users.

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Edgeley replied to cat1commuter | 8 years ago
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Making him cycle to training and back would be quite severe, as he lives just south of Manchester and plays in Liverpool.

HIs sentence is lenient. Not so much the fine, but the shortish ban.

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vonhelmet replied to Edgeley | 8 years ago
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Edgeley wrote:

Making him cycle to training and back would be quite severe, as he lives just south of Manchester and plays in Liverpool.

HIs sentence is lenient. Not so much the fine, but the shortish ban.

So fucking what! He can move house, the peasant.

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oldstrath | 8 years ago
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And the odds that Everton will invite him to go away and never return? Just about the only punishment he'd actually notice, other than significant jail time or physical mutilation, would be a lifetime ban from playing soccer.

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projexe | 8 years ago
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Just stunned and sadly resigned to the state of the law nowadays. Drive drunk, run into pedestrians, damage objects and then fail to stop. And your punishment is a minuscule fine and a short driving ban. And this will deter others?

Am I just getting old and out of touch? I bloody hope not. We need to get some reality back into our legal system.

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danthomascyclist | 8 years ago
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Spending the next 20 months in a chauffeur-driven Bentley will certainly teach him a stern lesson.

How the fuck can somebody be so reckless and still walk away from a courthouse?

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farrell replied to danthomascyclist | 8 years ago
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danthomascyclist wrote:

Spending the next 20 months in a chauffeur-driven Bentley will certainly teach him a stern lesson

He could potentially be back behind the wheel after 5 months.

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Airzound replied to danthomascyclist | 8 years ago
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danthomascyclist wrote:

Spending the next 20 months in a chauffeur-driven Bentley will certainly teach him a stern lesson.

How the fuck can somebody be so reckless and still walk away from a courthouse?

He likely slipped the judge a few grand to go easy on him.

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tatsky replied to danthomascyclist | 8 years ago
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danthomascyclist wrote:

Spending the next 20 months in a chauffeur-driven Bentley will certainly teach him a stern lesson.

They should force him to cycle to training and to games for the duration of his ban, and find out what it's like to be a cyclist.

Never know, he might gain some understanding, and we have a silver lining.

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Chris James replied to tatsky | 8 years ago
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tatsky wrote:
danthomascyclist wrote:

Spending the next 20 months in a chauffeur-driven Bentley will certainly teach him a stern lesson.

They should force him to cycle to training and to games for the duration of his ban, and find out what it's like to be a cyclist.

Never know, he might gain some understanding, and we have a silver lining.

With his injury record I doubt he would make it out of the end of his drive.

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tatsky replied to danthomascyclist | 8 years ago
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danthomascyclist wrote:

Spending the next 20 months in a chauffeur-driven Bentley will certainly teach him a stern lesson.

They should force him to cycle to training and to games for the duration of his ban, and find out what it's like to be a cyclist.

Never know, he might gain some understanding, and we have a silver lining.

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1961BikiE | 8 years ago
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Started to write a long one but what is the point? A car driving footballer. You'd have to be HM the Queen to treated even more leniently.

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Legin replied to 1961BikiE | 8 years ago
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therealsmallboy | 8 years ago
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This is where means-tested fines would be a good idea.

£4500 for the bike. £200,000 for the bloke and £20,000 for his mates. £50,000 court fees.

A few of those would do a world of good to the footballers who think they can just pay off, whatever happens. Hit them in the pocket.

Then squash his car and turn it into chain links and spoke nipples  4

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Yorkshie Whippet replied to therealsmallboy | 8 years ago
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therealsmallboy wrote:

Then squash his car and turn it into chain links and spoke nipples  4

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. it's not the cars fault, don't take it out on the nice car.

Give it to me. I'll put it in a garage and every Sunday roll it out, sit in it and make brum brum noises before polishing it some more. I might even let the footballer look at my car every now and then.  1

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Yorkshie Whippet | 8 years ago
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Ordered to pay £6k, on £150K a week, so that's about 20 minutes work?

Bet the damage to the car is more costly.

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bornslippy replied to Yorkshie Whippet | 8 years ago
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Don't exaggerate, he's *only* on £50k a week (according to the Mirror). WTF?

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Chris James replied to Yorkshie Whippet | 8 years ago
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Yorkshie Whippet wrote:

Ordered to pay £6k, on £150K a week, so that's about 20 minutes work?

Bet the damage to the car is more costly.

He plays for Everton, so he's probably on a burger and a bag of balloons a week. But yes, a fine is a bit pointless for a footballer.

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balmybaldwin | 8 years ago
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Why no Jail time?

Driving whilst well over the limit (and on painkillers), having at least 2 separate accidents, driving without shoes (an offence of not being in proper control of vehicle).

Could it be because he's a footballer?

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ianrobo replied to balmybaldwin | 8 years ago
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balmybaldwin wrote:

Why no Jail time?

Driving whilst well over the limit (and on painkillers), having at least 2 separate accidents, driving without shoes (an offence of not being in proper control of vehicle).

Could it be because he's a footballer?

no it is because the system is totally wrong and if you are drunk behind the wheel for me should be min two years jail. In his case 5 years in prison seems right.

BTW remember Tony Adams was sent to jail so footballers not protected any more than any one else.

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Peowpeowpeowlasers replied to balmybaldwin | 8 years ago
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balmybaldwin wrote:

Why no Jail time?

Driving whilst well over the limit (and on painkillers), having at least 2 separate accidents, driving without shoes (an offence of not being in proper control of vehicle).

Could it be because he's a footballer?

No, it's because our prisons are already very crowded and lack the capacity to house the tens of thousands of drink drivers your policy would see locked up.

Prison should be a system that protects the innocent from being harmed by criminals. In this case, a lengthy ban (20 months is pathetic) would do exactly that.

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oldstrath replied to Peowpeowpeowlasers | 8 years ago
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Except all that will happen is he'll spend a small fraction of his wages paying a chauffeur. He won't really notice, the rest of us will be marginally safer, but nothing is done to deter the next over-entitled fuckwit.

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mike the bike replied to balmybaldwin | 8 years ago
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balmybaldwin wrote:

........ driving without shoes (an offence of not being in proper control of vehicle).

'Fraid not. How is it not under control?

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