Mayor's Night Out Ends in Court and Driving Ban
The mayor of a Shropshire village has been disqualified from driving after he was found to be more than twice the legal alcohol limit when he knocked a cyclist off his bike. Ryan Davies, 44, the mayor of Clun, had consumed four to five pints of Stella Artois at a party before getting behind the wheel of his Mercedes.
The Incident on a Dark Country Road
The court heard that the victim, Cain Western, was cycling home from work along a dark, unlit road near Knighton, Powys. Mr Western was wearing a high-visibility vest and had lights and reflectors on his bicycle. He described seeing a car with its headlights flickering between dipped and full beam before he was struck from behind by the vehicle's wing mirror, which was dislodged on impact, sending him to the ground.
Prosecutor James Sprunks told the court that the Mercedes did not stop immediately. It slowed before driving away, only to return to the scene shortly after. A witness at the scene identified the driver as the defendant, Ryan Davies, who then got back into his car and left.
The Police Investigation and Arrest
Police were called and an officer, PC Brunning, attended the scene. He found and seized the damaged wing mirror. Following this, he went to Davies' home address just after midnight. There, he found the mayor's Mercedes, which was missing its wing mirror.
When questioned, Davies initially claimed he had last had a drink about three hours prior and had consumed nothing since the crash. However, a breathalyser test revealed he had 183 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, significantly over the legal limit of 80 milligrams. He was subsequently arrested.
Court Sentencing and Consequences
At Llandrindod Wells Magistrates' Court, Davies initially denied drink-driving but later changed his plea after the court was presented with the evidence linking his car's wing mirror to the scene of the collision.
In his defence, his lawyer, Matthew Davies, stated that the mayor works as an agricultural legislator and is heavily reliant on his driving licence for his work and community duties. Davies expressed remorse, admitting he should not have driven after drinking and had confirmed with a barman that he consumed four pints.
The magistrates handed down a 20-month driving ban and ordered Davies to pay a total of £3,017 in fines, costs, and a victim surcharge.
