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Judge banned for motorway drink-driving
12 Nov 2009A former judge caught on the motorway nearly three times the drink-drive limit was banned from driving for two years today.
Bruce Macmillan, at the time a circuit judge sitting at Liverpool Crown Court, was also arrested by police three weeks later, while on bail for the first offence, drunk in charge of his car with a half-empty bottle of gin on the passenger seat, Chorley Magistrates' Court in Lancs, was told.
The 63-year-old, who has now lost his distinguished legal career, admitted one count of driving with excess alcohol on the M6 near Chorley, Lancs on August 27 and one count of being drunk in charge in Toxteth, Liverpool, on September 17.
He was banned from driving for two years and fined £1,200 by magistrates, who were told he was now on a rehabilitation course for alcoholics after the pressures of his job overcame him.
Reader views (2)
This is a highly contentious issue. I have no doubt that the judge has jailed drink drivers in his time on the bench. But! Look at the facts.
He HAS lost his job.
He has faced national disgrace.
His picture has been published in several newspapers.
He IS attending an alcoholic recovery centre.
I personally have been let off when on a THREE time offence. I am aware of others who have also not been jailed when on three time offences. None of us have anything like the distinction of being in such a powerful position as the judge. None of us had friends in high places.
I am not condoning the judges behaviour. I am just pointing out that the judge got the same penalty as probably 90% of the general public would have got.
Drink driving is a very difficult crime to try because it usually involves ordinary people with jobs and families whom if jailed for 3 months would cause udue and incredible hardship on the felons family.
It is also one of the few crimes which most people have commited (If only once) themselves. So the thought of hypocrisy and inner guilt probably plays a part in many of these sentencing decisions.
The ones usually jailed are the incorrigible recidivists who have no job or family and whose jailing would not impinge negatively on extended family members lives.
In a way you could say there is an 'Us and them' system, but the 'Thems' are a lot, lot more of the population, than you could ever imagine.
- Idiot, London, 13/11/2009 14:13
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It's difficult to understand why this man didn't face a stay in the slammer. After all, in his position, and with an earlier offence pending, he certainly knew right from wrong. So he drove whilst drunk, quite knowingly,anticipating that he would escape justice. I have known "lesser" mortals sent to jail for considerably less. Yet again its one law for us, and another for them. Some justice!
- Charles Sebry, Saint Albans,UK, 12/11/2009 16:54
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