Jason Povey, 36, homeless, has been sentenced to four months in prison for driving under the influence, taking a vehicle without consent, and other serious offences. The incident occurred in Trowbridge on the evening of October 13.
Wiltshire Police responded following reports of a suspected drink driver in Oatfields and a damaged blue Kia Rio in Marston Road. The car’s front offside tyre was completely blown out, and witnesses observed sparks flying from the tyres as Povey drove along Marston Road.
Povey was found nearby, visibly intoxicated with a bottle of vodka in hand and unsteady on his feet. He refused to provide a specimen for analysis and was subsequently arrested. Further investigations revealed he had taken the vehicle without consent and was driving while disqualified and uninsured.
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He appeared at Salisbury Magistrates' Court, where he pleaded guilty to aggravated taking of a vehicle without consent, driving whilst disqualified, driving without insurance, and failure to provide a specimen. He received a driving ban of just over four years in addition to his prison sentence.
Police Constable Layton from the Volume Crime Team emphasized the seriousness of Povey’s actions, stating that driving while intoxicated is unacceptable and will be prosecuted rigorously. Fortunately, no injuries or collisions were reported during the incident.