Christmas Day drink driver handed suspended sentence by Northampton magistrates

A Northampton man has been handed a suspended prison sentence for a series of offences including drink driving on Christmas Day.

Russell Grant Wilson, of Nethermead Court, was arrested after police officers attended Eastfield Park in Grange Road on December 25, 2022 following concerns from a member of the public about a vehicle being driven erratically on the grass.

Officers arrested the 48-year-old on suspicion of driving whilst over the prescribed limit of alcohol. He was later charged with failing to provide a specimen for analysis. Officers also found a machete in Wilson’s car and both Class A and Class B drugs.

At Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Monday, May 15, Wilson pleaded guilty to a total of six offences, including possession of a knife blade/pointed article in a public place, for which he was sentenced to 22 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months.

Wilson received a further 10-week prison sentence to run concurrently for failing to provide a specimen for analysis and was disqualified from driving for 29 months.

He also received three two-week suspended sentences to run concurrently for possession of a Class A drug (ecstasy), possession of a Class B drug (cannabis) and for failing to appear before the magistrates’ court on Friday, May 5.

In total, Wilson was sentenced to a five-month prison sentence - suspended for one year. He was also ordered to complete a rehabilitation activity, carry out 100 hours of unpaid work as well as pay £154 victim surcharge and £620 court costs.