Booze binge teen driver escapes jail (From Stroud News and Journal)

Booze binge teen driver escapes jail

LEARNER driver David McCombie, who drove his granddad's car at 100mph on the M5 after an all-day drinking binge, has narrowly escaped jail.

McCombie, 18, crashed the Toyota Yaris into the central reservation at 3.30am on Saturday, April 1 after drinking 11 pints of lager and sharing two jugs of vodka and red bull with friends.

Police found him sitting in the car near junction 13 after the crash. He gave a positive breath test and admitted he only had a provisional licence.

McCombie, of London Road, Stroud, hugged his grandfather with relief after Stroud magistrates imposed a four-month suspended sentence on Friday.

He was also ordered to do 240 hours community service, pay £55 costs and banned from driving for 20 months.

Brian Knowles, chairman of the magistrates, said the bench had taken into consideration McCombie's early guilty plea and a letter from his granddad.

"Had this taken place at a point of the motorway with a lot of vehicles there would clearly have been a possible crash and a number of fatalities," he said.

"The court wishes to commend your grandfather for his care for you, given the amount of pain you have caused the family."