Motorist wrecked traffic lights in high speed collision in Skegness

Gary Hardy was estimated to have been driving at 60mph when he crashed into the lights on Grand Parade, Skegness.

Tony Stanford, prosecuting, said immediately after the collision a witness approached Hardy who swore at the man.

He said: “Hardy got out of the car with his Staffordshire bull terrier and the two of them walked off. There was severe damage to the traffic light. It was broken in half.”

Police arrived at the scene to find Hardy’s abandoned car at the scene.

Mr Stanford said “The car interior smelled of alcohol.”

The prosecutor said that soon afterwards Hardy walked into a nearby bar claiming to have been run off the road by a motorbike gang.

Mr Stanford said: “The defendant then reported to the police that his car had been stolen from outside his house in Long Eaton. This was only minutes after the crash.”

When police later traced Hardy he made no comment to questions put to him but his partner told officers that he had been drinking all day. She said they had an argument before she left the scene and he went looking for her in his car.

Hardy, 55, of Bonsall Court, Long Eaton, admitted doing an act intended to pervert the course of justice as a result of the incident on September 16, 2015. He also admitted charges of failing to stop after an accident, failing to report an accident and driving without due care and attention.

Today (Wednesday) he was given a six month jail sentence suspended for 18 months and banned from driving for three years.

Recorder Stephen Lowne, passing sentence, told Hardy: “What is clear is that you were quite drunk. Because there were pedestrians about the consequences could have been dire.”

Noel Philo, defending, said that Hardy had mental health difficulties and his behaviour may have been affected by medication he was taking.