- Mobile site
- E-Newsletters
-
- News feed
- Find us on Twitter
@Essex_Echo
Follow us
- Find us on Facebook
Echo
Like us on Facebook
Drink-driving shame for ‘role model’ Shoeburyness High School teacher (From Echo)
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting ECHONEWS to 80360, or email us »
Drink-driving shame for ‘role model’ Shoeburyness High School teacher
3:30pm Friday 10th August 2012 in Local News
A TEACHER’S career is hanging in the balance, after he crashed his car while more than three times over the alcohol limit.
James Birch, 54, narrowly avoided a jail sentence, when he appeared before Southend magistrates yesterday.
He has been suspended from his job, at Shoebury ness High School, pending a disciplinary hearing to decide his fate.
The court heard he had left the Plough & Sail pub, in London Road, Westcliff , and decided to drive the 250 yard journey home, in his Vauxhall Zafira.
Birch had reached his street, Ramuz Drive, when he collided with a parked Nissan pick-up truck, which then shunted into a Mercedes. He told police he thought he may have swerved to avoid an animal in the road.
A neighbour was at home in bed at about 10.45pm, on June 24, and heard a noise. When he realised it was a crash, he went out to see if anyone was injured.
It was then he saw Birch manoeuvring the car, so the neighbour removed the ignition keys and called the police.
Ian Allen, prosecuting, said: “It was apparent he had been drinking.”
Birch pleaded guilty to driving over the limit – with 131 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35microgrammes.
Micaila Williams, in mitigation, said Birch had been “bemused” by this high reading, as he only drank four pints of Carling. Any reading over 121microgrammes puts a defendant at risk of custody.
Miss Williams said her client realised his behaviour would have a negative impact, particularly as he teaches his pupils there are consequences to bad behaviour.
She added: “He is a role model for his own children and a role model for those at school. All of these things have been lost through his wrong doing.”
Birch sat with his head bowed, as the court heard he was remorseful, had no previous convictions, and two character references were handed to the magistrates.
He was sentenced to an eight week jail term, suspended for a year, three-year driving ban, 180 hours of unpaid work and £85 costs.
Miss Williams said he would now face a disciplinary hearing on September 19, which will decide whether he is fit to keep his job.
Comments(14)
Audioman
says...
4:03pm Fri 10 Aug 12
If he was an MP he would still be an MP.
Let the poor man along for God's sake,
he has alife to lead the same as anyboby
else.
AndyBSG
says...
4:08pm Fri 10 Aug 12
To be fair, the obvious question would be how did he manage to become a teacher if this is the level of his intelligence, surely any fool knows that even one pint puts you over the limit unless it's a very weak lager!
Speedysnail
says...
4:20pm Fri 10 Aug 12
Dangerous driver
says...
4:23pm Fri 10 Aug 12
CALL ME CLINT
says...
5:05pm Fri 10 Aug 12
The courts are the places where punishment should be handed down and not in a committee room of the education authority or whatever body is given the task of 'disciplining' teachers.
Why do we look to teachers to set an example to children in their (the teachers') private lives? The examples should be set by responsible parents.
I wish this man the best of luck with his future and hope that this one indiscretion (there is no evidence of past failings) can be put behind him and that he is given the opportunity to finish his career just as the vast majority of workers (with the exception of those specifically employed to drive) would be.
Let's face it, Hanningfield has been released early from custody and is allowed to get back to the den of thieves. Outrageous!
pussycats
says...
5:16pm Fri 10 Aug 12
jaguarxxv
says...
6:49pm Fri 10 Aug 12
Zena1398
says...
7:00pm Fri 10 Aug 12
bazaarhorse
says...
7:34am Sat 11 Aug 12
Audioman wrote:I agree apart from this 'God's sake' His sake surely.
What's it got to do with the school???
If he was an MP he would still be an MP.
Let the poor man along for God's sake,
he has alife to lead the same as anyboby
else.
girlie71
says...
11:11am Sun 12 Aug 12
Spaldinho
says...
10:04pm Sun 12 Aug 12
Sean4u
says...
11:16pm Sun 12 Aug 12
Get yourself a nice road bike (not a mountain bike, they're rubbish for commuting on) with a 'sit up and beg' riding position and granny gears for the inclines, plenty of high-vis clothes, carriers front and back and some nice big Ortleib panniers. Get a hub dynamo (not one of those aquaplaning tyre-scrubbers) and carry back-up lights for the winter. Don't try to save too much money, the miles are going to add up.
APR
says...
9:38am Mon 13 Aug 12
He is still an idiot though.
.
Brunning999 says...
3:57pm Fri 10 Aug 12
Tough decision making him unemployed will just add to hi problems.
A Cut the booze or lose you chose decision.