Driver banned after smash with two children in car

A drunk driver who slammed into oncoming traffic with two children in his car has been handed a two year driving ban and an 18-month suspended prison sentence.

Simon Wright, 43, of Parklands, Malmesbury, pleaded guilty to driving dangerously and drink driving at Swindon Crown Court.

Wright skidded his Audi RS4 across the road and crashed into an oncoming vehicle in March 2023.

PC Luke Hobbs said: “I am pleased that as a result of his selfish and mindless actions, Wright has been banned from our roads."

Wright was driving with a front seat passenger and two children in the back when he lost control of the car coming off a roundabout.

Police said he approached at such speed, having overtaken two vehicles, that he went into a skid.

Emergency services attended the scene and Wright failed a breath test.

He sustained a number of injuries, and it is believed his front seat passenger was also injured in the smash.

The children were treated for shock but were ununjured.

The driver and the passenger of the second vehicle were admitted to hospital but not seriously injured.

'Significant danger'

PC Hobbs, from the Roads Policing Unit, said: “This standard of driving, especially whilst under the influence of alcohol, is totally unacceptable on our roads and poses a significant danger to other road users.

"The fact that there were young children also in the vehicle at the time does not bear thinking about."

Mr Hobbs said all too often, police see drunk drivers getting behind the wheel of a car "under the impression they are invincible".

"It should not take a serious collision like this to understand the serious consequences of your actions if you are one of these people," Mr Hobbs added.

Wright was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, pay £2,000 compensation and a £187 surcharge.