Drink driver told police he was ’12’ after M4 crash

A drunk driver who stole his girlfriend’s car and crashed it into the central reservation of the M4 gave police a false name and claimed he was “12-years-old”.

Rory Butler, 37, from Seaward Avenue, Sandfields, Port Talbot, had been out for food with his partner on August 23 but an argument broke out when they returned to her home. When his partner went into her garden, Butler took her silver Volkswagen Golf and left.

Police received four calls about the defendant’s erratic driving, including reports of him driving through cones at a contraflow system on the M4 eastbound carriageway. Butler later crashed into the central reservation between junction 37 for Pyle and Porthcawl and junction 38 for Port Talbot at 10.30pm.

Officers discovered the damaged Golf between lane three and the central reservation, with Butler still in the driver’s seat. He was clearly under the influence of drink and was slurring his speech. The defendant told an officer “there had been no crash” and when asked for his details, he lied about his age.

Butler underwent a roadside test and gave a reading of 139 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath – just short of four times the drink-drive limit of 35 micrograms. He later gave a reading of 115 micrograms at Bridgend police station. The defendant became difficult and tried to headbutt officers.

Butler pleaded guilty at Cardiff Crown Court to dangerous driving, driving with excess alcohol, aggravated vehicle taking and driving without insurance and a licence. The defendant has four previous convictions, including assaults against former partners for which he was made subject to a suspended sentence order and an alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement.

In mitigation, Giles Hayes said that when “things don’t go well” for his client, he drinks to excess and all of his offences were committed under the influence of alcohol. He also said the defendant had “low moods, insecurities and low confidence” which caused him to behave impulsively and drink alcohol.

Sentencing on Monday, Judge Paul Hobson said: “The blunt truth is you could have killed someone Mr Butler, driving through a contraflow system like that. You gave a false name and told them you were 12 years old. You breached your order in the most spectacular way.”

Butler was sentenced to a total of 14 months imprisonment and was disqualified from driving for four years and seven months.