A police officer controversially overturned a drin
A police officer controversially overturned a drink driving ban today (Friday) when colleagues failed to attend court to give evidence against him.
The officer, who had resigned from the Metropolitan Police as a result, now looks set to resurrect his career with the force.
The senior judge at London’s Southwark Crown Court granted Ian Garrod’s appeal against an 18 month ban despite protests that it would appear the police were looking after one of their own.
Told an administrative error meant witnesses for the Crown were not notified of the date and a ‘key’ witness, an inspector, was in the West Country, Judge George Bathurst-Norman still refused to adjourn the matter until another date.
Philippa Jessel, counsel for the Crown, said there was a matter of public interest ‘when it appears police officers failed to appear, when a police officer faces a charge.
‘
Mrs Jessel added: ‘I would not want it to seem that officers were not able to come to cases concerning a matter involving one of their own.
‘
But the judge commented that both Mr Garrod and his legal team had managed to attend promptly for the hearing.
He said postponing the matter after the court had made time for the appeal had already cost the public purse over pnds stlng 8,000.
Sitting with a magistrate, Judge Bathurst-Norman said: ‘We will allow the appeal.
We will not grant an adjournment.
‘
On May 13, last year, Garrod was breath tested at Fulham Police Station and a lower reading showed a breath-alcohol reading of 51, above the limit of 50.
On December 13 at Bow Magistrates Court, the 43-year-old, of (6) Harwood Avenue, Mitcham, Surrey, lost his licence for 18 months and was fined pnds stlng 400 after being convicted of driving with excess alcohol.
But in a brief hearing, disrupted by attempts to locate the absent witnesses, the facts were not even opened to the court.
Garrod, stationed at Fulham, had driven to work to report for duty last May.
When assigned to drive a patrol car, another officer had complained Garrod smelled of drink and despite being in the police station at the time, a standard ‘road-side’ procedure was started.
Tests proved positive for excess alcohol and Garrod was taken before an Inspector.
He admitted he had driven to work and was later charged with driving in Fulham Road under the influence.
Garrod launched his appeal on the grounds he was not cautioned before making his admission to the senior officer.
ends
