An “idiot” Angus dad-to-be who drove away from a court less than ten minutes after being banned from the road begged his girlfriend to “try and keep the baby in” as he was led to prison.
Just weeks before she is due to give birth, William Bannon declared “I love you” to his heavily-pregnant partner from the dock of Forfar Sheriff Court after being handed a four-month jail term and slammed by a sheriff for ignoring the court order.
Bannon’s baby is due in early January, but he may now miss the birth after the Brechin 27-year-old was told custody was the only possible outcome for his “blatant” breach of the driving ban.
In October, Bannon, of Drumachlie Park, Brechin was found guilty by Sheriff Gregor Murray at Forfar of driving with excess alcohol on a road near Brechin on March 26. The accused’s reading of 27 microgrammes was just over the legal limit of 22.
At the conclusion of the trial the sheriff imposed an interim disqualification pending sentencing and Bannon was specifically warned from the bench not to get back behind the wheel.
But he was seen by police to drive off from the court and appeared back in the dock the following day after being arrested on a charge of disqualified driving and having no insurance.
Defence solicitor Brian Bell, who told the court the baby is due in early January, said: “He accepts that custody will be at the forefront of the court’s mind.
“He tells me it was a moment of stupidity, although I recognise that it is complete and utter disregard for a court order and your lordship may prefer that explanation.
“He wants to be at the birth of the child and it would be something of a pity if, in years to come, when people ask ‘where was your dad when you were born’ that they have to be told he was in Perth prison.
“I would ask that a non-custodial option is imposed, mainly because of his pregnant girlfriend — it is not her fault that she has an idiot of a partner but she can be hopeful that once the baby arrives Mr Bannon can move on from this,” said Mr Bell.
Sheriff Murray told the accused: “I very vividly recall saying to you that you were being disqualified in the interim, and I very vividly recall you being unhappy about that.
“You walked out of the court, down the steps and got into your car, and in doing that showed a blatant disregard for the order of the court.
“This is your fifth offence in 18 months, you were on two Community Payback Orders, you had outstanding hours of unpaid work and compensation.
“A more stark breach of the order of court you could not find and there can be no alternative to a custodial sentence for what you did,” said the sheriff.
Bannon, who admitted the disqualified driving and no insurance charge of October 30, was also banned for three years.
