A drink driver who racially abused and assaulted police has been convicted in court, fined and banned.
Louise Bailey was arrested and charged with a string of offences after members of the public reported seeing her crash into a lamppost and two stationary bicycles in St James’s Street, Brighton.
She was spotted at about 6pm on Sunday 4 June, just four days into Sussex Police’s annual summer crackdown on drink and drug-drivers.
Officers searched the area and saw a white Smart car matching the description given by callers. It was heading west along Marine Parade, Brighton, towards the Palace Pier.
Despite officers’ repeated attempts to indicate for her to stop, her vehicle only came to a halt when forced to do so by heavy traffic.
Bailey, 38, a property manager, of St George’s Terrace, Brighton, was arrested at the scene.
Sussex Police said: “As she was being taken into custody she became verbally and racially abusive.
“This continued as she was taken into custody, where she assaulted two police officers – kicking one in the leg and using her body weight to push another against a wall.
“While in custody she also refused to provide a sample of breath for analysis.”
Bailey appeared at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 6 July and pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen of breath for analysis, two counts of assaulting a police officer and racially aggravated harassment.
She was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 24 months, and ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work.
Bailey was also disqualified from driving for four years and fined £500 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £115 victim surcharge.
She was ordered to pay £80 compensation each to police officers Lara Paine and Charlotte Grant, making £160 in compensation and £860 in total.
Sussex Police said: “The severity of her sentence was reflected by the seriousness of the offences and a previous conviction for drink driving in August 2008.”
The force added: “Since the launch of the summer crackdown on drink and drug drivers on Thursday 1 June, a total of 55 motorists arrested in Sussex have been convicted and dozens more are awaiting a date with magistrates.”
Others to be convicted include Adelin Troncota, 24, a builder, of Godman Road, Grays, Essex, who was arrested in King’s Road, Brighton, on Friday 16 June. He was charged with driving with 69 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
At Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 6 July, he was banned from driving for 19 months. He was also ordered to pay a £621 fine, £85 costs and a £62 victim surcharge, making £768 in total.
Russell Nicholson, 35, a deliveryman, of Lennox Street, Brighton, was arrested in Marine Drive, Brighton, also on Friday 16 June. He was charged with driving with 63 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath in his system.
At Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 6 July he was banned from driving for 17 months. He was also ordered to pay a £253 fine, £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge, making £368 in total
Lakhbir Dhajan, 31, a computer industry employee, of Church Road, Portslade, was arrested on the A27 Old Shoreham Road, Shoreham, on Monday 19 June and charged with driving while unfit through drink.
At Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 6 July he was banned from driving for three years. He was also ordered to pay a £461 fine, £85 costs and a £46 victim surcharge, making £592 in total.
A 16-year-old student, of Rotherfield Crescent, Brighton, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested in Sillwood Street, Brighton, on Monday 19 June. He was charged with three counts of taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent, driving while unfit through drink, dangerous driving, driving with no insurance and driving with no licence.
At Worthing Youth Court on Thursday 6 July he was banned from driving for three years. He was also ordered to pay £1,360 in compensation.
Joshua Docherty, 24, a labourer, of Rustic Close, Peacehaven, was arrested in Broad Street, Seaford, on Thursday 22 June and charged with driving with 47 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
At Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 6 July he was disqualified from driving for a year. He was also ordered to pay a £320 fine, £85 costs and a £32 victim surcharge, making £437 in total.
Habiba Shah, 19, a student, of New Church Road, Hove, was arrested on the A23 at Pease Pottage on 23 June. She was charged with driving with 103 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
At Crawley Magistrates’ Court last Friday (7 July), she was banned from driving for two years. She was also ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and pay £85 costs and a £85 victim surcharge.
Hayley Setterfield, 31, unemployed, of Cliveden Close, Brighton, was arrested in Harrington Road, Brighton, on Friday 23 June. She was charged with driving with 124 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
At Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Monday (10 July) she was sentenced to 12 weeks in jail, suspended for 12 months, and banned from driving for 40 months. She was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £115 victim surcharge.
Michelle Kenny, 44, a chef, of Marlow Road, Whitehawk, was arrested in Middle Road, Brighton, on Sunday 25 June. She was charged with driving with 50 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
At Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Monday (10 July) she was banned from driving for 14 months. She was also ordered to pay a £307 fine, £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge, making £422 in total.
How is it that Louise Bailey is convicted of the same offence of racial harassment as Chris Gargan was 3 weeks ago but also a string of other offences including assault and drink driving yet receives a 12 week suspended prison sentence as opposed to Chris Gargan receiving a 4 month prison sentence for using the n.. n… word…. where is the consistency in sentencing?
Chris Gargan has a violent history.