Former taxi driver jailed for drink-driving in Sutton with samurai sword in car

Police were called by Lee Sewell's partner after he drove away from a domestic dispute while under the influence of alcohol, on Tuesday, November 22, at 10pm, Nottingham Crown Court heard.

Laura Pitman, prosecuting, said Sewell was stopped on Nunn Brook Road, Huthwaite, with cans and bottles of alcohol in his white Vauxhall Insignia.

The samurai sword was found in the rear footwell. A breath test showed 113 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, when the legal limit is 35mcg.

In a statement he told police: “I was in possession of an ornamental sword. It was blunt and no use as a blade. I had only recently acquired it and my only intention was to take it home.”

Ms Pitman said he was banned for drink-driving in July 2000 and has since appeared in court for criminal damage, battery, and breaches of court orders. He was last in trouble in April 2022 for criminal damage.

Sewell has previous convictions for possessing offensive weapons, and received a 12-month community order at Sheffield Crown Court, in September 2020.

As a result, Ms Pitman said, he is liable to receive a six-month sentence unless the court finds “exceptional circumstances”.

Sewell, aged 41, of Columbia Street, Huthwaite, admitted drink-driving and possession of a bladed article.

Denney Lau, mitigating, said on the day in question he wanted to move out of his partner’s house and planned to move in with his father.

He said the former HGV and taxi driver has been in custody for four months and has been making progress.

Sentencing, Mr Recorder Simon King told Sewell: “What might be of most help to you would be some form of formal superision by the probation service.

"But the law is such that unless I am able to identify exceptional circumstances I am obliged to imposed an immediate sentence of custody.”

Sewell was jailed for nine months and will be released in the next few weeks. He was banned from driving for three years and 15 days.

”I am sorry to say you have brought this on yourself,” the judge told him.