Lincolnshire Man Went to Report One Crime and Ended Up Convicted of Three

A Lincolnshire man has been convicted of three offences after walking into a police station to report one.

Kerry Briggs, 42, of Townsend Way, Metheringham, admitted charges of failing to provide a specimen for analysis, possession of a bladed article and driving without valid third party insurance when he appeared at Lincoln Magistrates' Court on 17th January 2020.

The offences relate to incidents on 18th December 2019, when Briggs walked into Lincoln's South Park police station to report that he had been assaulted earlier that evening.

The officer dealing with Briggs could smell alcohol on his breath. Suspecting that he had driven a vehicle to the police station, which is located on the southern edge of the city, the officer required Briggs to provide a preliminary specimen of breath. Briggs agreed to provide that preliminary specimen of breath, which indicated he was over the limit.

Briggs was arrested on suspicion of driving a motor vehicle when the amount of alcohol in his breath exceeded the prescribed limit. This is an offence contrary to section 5(1) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and has a maximum penalty of 26 weeks' custody and/or a fine at level 5 (unlimited) on summary conviction.

On his arrest Briggs was searched and a Stanley knife was found in his trouser pocket. He was further arrested for possessing a bladed article in a public place. Possession of a bladed article is an offence under section 139(1) of the Criminal Justice Act 1988. The offence, which is triable either way, has a maximum penalty of 6 months' custody on summary conviction, 4 years' custody on conviction on indictment.

Further enquiries revealed that Briggs did not have valid third party insurance to cover the car he had driven to the police station. He also failed to provide an evidential specimen of breath for analysis.

Marie Stace, prosecuting, said: "On December 18 at 11.30pm at South Park police station, he attended the location in a VW Golf and explained that he was assaulted.

"The officer noticed that he smelt of alcohol and the vehicle he drove showed as having no insurance.

"An initial breathalyser test gave a reading of 49 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, which is over the legal limit of 35 microgrammes.

"He was then arrested and when he was searched a Stanley knife was found in his left trouser pocket.

"He was asked if he would provide another specimen of breath but then refused to give a second reading.

"When interviewed, he said he didn't know about the car no having insurance and said that the knife was for his own protection and had no plans to use it on anyone."

Mark Wood, mitigating, said: "He went down to the police station to make a complaint about an assault. He had a couple of drinks but thought he was OK to drive.

"He wasn't able to provide a second specimen. He does have some health issues.

"It seems that the insurance might have lapsed and he wasn't aware and that's why he hadn't noticed.

"He is trying to seek help for some mental health issues."

Briggs was fined £240 and ordered to pay £385 towards prosecution costs and £32 victim surcharge.

He was disqualified from driving for 12 months.