Angry Sutton man banned from driving after complaint over cancelled takeaway

Mansfield Magistrates’ Court heard police were called when Theunis Barnard became abusive during a dispute at a food shop and he kicked out at an officer, on September 13.

Daniel Pietryka, prosecuting, said that at the police station, Barnard refused to comply with a breath test but admitted having two glasses of Jack Daniels before driving to the takeaway.

Barnard, aged 32, of Sutton Road, Huthwaite, admitted failing to supply a specimen for analysis.

Valerie Thorpe, mitigating, said the incident was 'out of character' for Barnard who had endured a difficult couple of years.

She said he had been drinking to cope with financial problems and, when angry or frightened, ‘tends to act impulsively’.

On this day, the self-employed scaffolder was frustrated because a job fell through and the takeaway he ordered had been cancelled without explanation.

When he remonstrated with staff at the shop, the police were called and he admitted having driven there.

Ms Thorpe said: “He was extremely honest. He felt he had done nothing wrong.

“When he was arrested he became extremely agitated and felt the handcuffs were too tight.

“Because they refused to loosen them he refused to comply with the test. It went around in circles. He accepts it was unacceptable behaviour.”

Barnard was banned from driving for 15 months but a rehabilitation course will reduce the ban by 114 days if he completes it before September 2023.

He was also fined £276 and ordered to pay a £110 surcharge and £85 costs.