North Notts man in drink driving crash "saw red" over a debt

John Fields's Volvo didn't slow down as it approached the HGV, which was towing a low-loader bearing a tractor, at Brunel Park industrial estate, Harworth, on July 7.

"As the HGV driver checked his mirror he saw a Volvo that wasn't slowing down," said prosecutor Daniel Church. "He thought it would weave around the back of the HGV."

Instead the car hit the nearside rear of the HGV, swerved across the road a couple of times, and hit fencing and a hedge.

The HGV driver ran down to the Volvo. He expected the driver would be dead given the speed, said Mr Church.

Fields was unresponsive, bleeding from the head and nose and was talking in a confused way. The door of his car was so badly dented it couldn't be opened.

Police, paramedics and two fire engines were called to the scene on Blyth Road.

Fields swore at officers when they carried out a breath test, which he failed, and he was arrested on suspicion of drink driving.

He was taken to hospital, where he refused to have a blood sample taken because "the officers scared him".

He later gave a no comment interview to police, added Mr Church.

The court heard repairs to the HGV would cost £3-400 while £3,000 of damage was caused to fencing and a gate belonging to Harworth Heating.

Fields has ten convictions for 16 offences, including three for drink driving, said Mr Church.

In November 2011, he received a community order and a two year ban, in August 2012, he received 26 weeks in prison and a four year ban, and in November 2016, he got 16 weeks in prison and a five year ban.

Ian Pridham, mitigating, asked magistrates to consider suspending a prison sentence.

"He accepts he has a drink problem," Mr Pridham said. "The vehicle belongs to his wife.

"Six or seven months before, he leant his brother-in-law a significant amount of money to pursue a court case which hadn't been paid back," he said.

"Mr Fields had been on and on about it. It had built up into a big issue. He was being ignored and just saw red. Stupidly he jumped into the car to go around and see his brother-in-law."

Fields, 42, of Arundel Walk, Bircotes, admitted failing to provide a specimen, driving without due care and attention, and without insurance, when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Thursday.

He was jailed for 20 weeks and ordered to pay a £115 surcharge. He was banned from driving for ten years.