One-armed drink-driver was on mobile

A south Wales police chief has spoken out against a one-armed man who was caught drink-driving after jumping a red light in his car while making a mobile phone call.

Superintendent Dick Lewis, the force's head of traffic and operations, said the recklessness of 34-year-old Stuart MacNamara, who has lost his right arm below the elbow, had "left him speechless".

The recklessness of this driver leaves me speechless

Superintendent Dick Lewis

MacNamara from Llanmorlais, Swansea, was given an 18 month driving ban, fined and ordered to pay costs totalling £450 by magistrates in the city on Friday.

The court heard the defendant, whose right arm is missing from the elbow down, was driving a car which was not adapted to cater for his disability.

Police at Swansea stopped him last Sunday after he was seen driving through a red traffic light holding a mobile phone to his ear with his good arm.

Tests showed that MacNamara, of New Road, Llanmorlais, Swansea, had almost twice the legal limit of alcohol in his breath.

But, the court heard, while he had been drinking into the early hours of last Sunday, he got into his car believing he was under the limit.

He was banned from driving for 18 months after admitting driving with excess alcohol, driving when he could not have proper control, and going through a red light.

'Under the limit'

The magistrates heard that MacNamara had been drinking into the early hours of last Sunday.

He got into his Daihatsu Four Track 14 hours later in the belief he was under the limit.

But his behaviour was described on Friday as reckless by Superintendent Lewis.

"The recklessness of this driver leaves me speechless," he said.

"Each offence is bad enough in its own right but in combination they are more severe."