Former Grantham man fined and banned from driving after crashing while under the influence before assaulting a police officer and a nurse

A former Grantham man faced court after drink driving, crashing his car and assaulting two emergency workers.

Magistrates at Boston have heard that Richard Atkinson, who ran off after crashing his car, was over the legal alcohol limit and in possession of cocaine and amphetamine before he assaulted a police officer and a nurse at Lincoln hospital.

The 31-year-old, now living at Elmdene, Scothern, admitted driving with excess alcohol, possession of drugs, assaulting two emergency workers and and using threatening words and behaviour.

It was said he was seen to run off after being involved in a single vehicle accident in his Renault Scenic car at 11.30pm on April 14 in Belton Lane, Grantham.

Prosecuting, Lottie Tyler said Atkinson was found by police officers in Harrowby Lane and, following a positive breath test, was arrested and, when searched, a packet of cocaine and amphetamine was found on him.

She said he was taken to Grantham police station where he gave a reading of 95 microgrammes of alcohol in his breath, the legal limit being 35.

She said that as he had facial injuries from the collision, he was taken to Accident and Emergency at Lincoln where he was abusive towards the police and hospital staff, so much so that a mother and child had to be moved away to a separate room.

Ms Tyler said he also swore at and then kicked a staff nurse on the shin and also attempted to bite the police officer who was with him.

The magistrates were told he was in breach of a conditional discharge imposed in January this year for obstructing the police and was also currently on a community order with an unpaid work order.

Mitigating, Helen Coney said Atkinson had a 'number of difficulties' and had not done all the unpaid work he had been ordered to do as part of his community order.

She said he was someone who 'had not had support historically' but he realised he did have responsibility for the care of his five children and had moved from Grantham to Lincoln to be nearer to his family.

The magistrates ordered Atkinson to undertake 20 rehabilitation days and banned him from driving for two years, although they offered him the drink drivers' rehabilitation course, which will reduce the period of the ban by 24 weeks.

He was also ordered to pay £100 compensation to the nurse he assaulted and was fined a total of £80 and £180 in court costs and charges.