A 14-year-old girl was struck by a van driven by a drink driver in Westbury earlier this year. Despite the serious nature of the collision, the girl fortunately escaped without life-threatening injuries. The incident took an even more disturbing turn when the driver, John Thompson, 45, urinated beside the van while the injured girl lay on the ground nearby.
Thompson, from Norden, Bradford on Avon, was sentenced following the shocking incident. Upon police arrival, another man initially claimed he was driving the van. Meanwhile, Thompson publicly urinated against the passenger side of the vehicle, showing blatant disregard for the victim’s suffering.
Both men were arrested, but Thompson tested above the legal alcohol limit. During questioning, he denied being the driver until officers presented CCTV footage clearly showing him exiting the driver’s seat. He later admitted to being behind the wheel. Thompson also failed to provide an evidential breath sample while in custody.
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He pled guilty to failing to provide a sample, careless driving, and driving without a valid MOT. The other man faced no further action.
At a hearing on August 12, Thompson was disqualified from driving for 17 months. This period can be reduced to 17 weeks if he completes a rehabilitation driving course approved by the Secretary of State. He is also required to pay £114 toward victim services and £85 in court costs. Additionally, Thompson must complete a 60-day alcohol abstinence program with monitoring and up to eight days of rehabilitation activities.
Roads Policing Sergeant Neil Bott condemned Thompson’s behavior as “incredibly callous and disrespectful,” highlighting the trauma caused to the victim and her mother. He expressed hope that Thompson will reflect on his actions following the sentencing.
Wiltshire Police reaffirmed their commitment to holding offenders accountable for dangerous driving and urged the public to report such incidents.