Drunk cyclist fined for damaging car as he tried to flee police

A drunk cyclist from West Yorkshire who damaged a car as he tried to flee from police on his bike has been fined £80 and ordered to pay £100 in compensation to the owner of the vehicle.

Kirklees Magistrates’ Court heard that Thomas Alcock had got on his bike to ride away from his Heckmondwike home when police arrived there on 30 November to investigate reports of a domestic disturbance.

But the Huddersfield Examiner reports that he misjudged the distance between a wall and a parked Volkswagen Golf, resulting in the vehicle’s bodywork being scratched and the wing mirror broken.

Jess Lister, prosecuting, told the court that when police arrived at the property, “they were told that the defendant had left the property as he wanted to get away on a push bike.

"They found the defendant and he told police that he just wanted to be left alone and started to cycle away.

"He turned down Longfield Road and squeezed through a gap between a parked vehicle and the wall. He scratched the vehicle and broke the glass on the wing mirror."

Alcock, 23, later told officers that he had become frustrated during an argument with his partner and had smashed a glass table.

She continued: "When police came he wanted to get some fresh air and left the property.

"Unfortunately he tried to get past the car and accepts he caused the damage by doing that.

"He couldn't recall anything from that evening due to the amount of alcohol he'd consumed."

In mitigation, Mark Mangano pointed out that despite having no recollection of the incident, Alcock had pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage.

"He tried to cycle away from police because he didn't want to be arrested for a domestic incident,” he said.

“He accepts he cycled past the car and probably damaged it.

"He was silly and under the influence at the time. Had he been sober perhaps he wouldn't have tried to get past the vehicle on his bike."

A drunk cyclist from West Yorkshire who damaged a car as he tried to flee from police on his bike has been fined £80 and ordered to pay £100 in compensation to the owner of the vehicle.

Kirklees Magistrates’ Court heard that Thomas Alcock had got on his bike to ride away from his Heckmondwike home when police arrived there on 30 November to investigate reports of a domestic disturbance.

But the Huddersfield Examiner reports that he misjudged the distance between a wall and a parked Volkswagen Golf, resulting in the vehicle’s bodywork being scratched and the wing mirror broken.

Jess Lister, prosecuting, told the court that when police arrived at the property, “they were told that the defendant had left the property as he wanted to get away on a push bike.

"They found the defendant and he told police that he just wanted to be left alone and started to cycle away.

"He turned down Longfield Road and squeezed through a gap between a parked vehicle and the wall. He scratched the vehicle and broke the glass on the wing mirror."

Alcock, 23, later told officers that he had become frustrated during an argument with his partner and had smashed a glass table.

She continued: "When police came he wanted to get some fresh air and left the property.

"Unfortunately he tried to get past the car and accepts he caused the damage by doing that.

"He couldn't recall anything from that evening due to the amount of alcohol he'd consumed."

In mitigation, Mark Mangano pointed out that despite having no recollection of the incident, Alcock had pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage.

"He tried to cycle away from police because he didn't want to be arrested for a domestic incident,” he said.

“He accepts he cycled past the car and probably damaged it.

"He was silly and under the influence at the time. Had he been sober perhaps he wouldn't have tried to get past the vehicle on his bike."

Besides being fined £80, Alcock was also ordered to pay costs of £85 plus £100 in compensation to the owner of the Volkswagen, who estimated the cost of repairs at £500.

Besides being fined £80, Alcock was also ordered to pay costs of £85 plus £100 in compensation to the owner of the Volkswagen, who estimated the cost of repairs at £500.