6 days ago
Man slammed by judge for extending Spain holiday and missing community service
A BANNED north Cumbria driver extended a Spanish holiday instead of returning to the UK for a community service session.
During his latest court appearance, John Luke Fitzgerald was lambasted by a judge for 'swanning off' to Salou at a time when he also owed £3,000 in court payments.
Fitzgerald, now aged 37, was originally sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court in August, 2023, for dangerous driving. He had followed and rammed his on-off partner's vehicle with his, leaving her terrified.
For that offence, and breaching a previously imposed suspended prison sentence, he received a jail term totalling 12 months. Fitzgerald was also ordered to complete a two-year driving disqualification when released from custody, and warned he remained banned until he passed an extended test.
But Fitzgerald was back at court in May this year after police saw him driving an Audi along Carlisle's Brampton Road on February 6.
The mechanic drove while disqualified having opted to get in a car 'impulsively' — when told he was needed at his place of work — instead of cycling as usual.
His punishment for that offence was a 12-month community order and requirements which included the completion of 80 hours' unpaid work.
However, Fitzgerald was back at court yet again today (Monday) as part of a prosecution brought by the probation service. He admitted failing to attend two unpaid work sessions, on July 6 and 13, and failing to provide timely evidence to reasonably excuse those absences.
From the dock, Fitzgerald explained that on the first occasion he attended for unpaid work late, after a bicycle chain snapped.
On the second date, he failed to show after extending a four-day holiday in Salou. 'It wasn't long enough,' he said of the original planned duration.
But that cut little ice with deputy district judge Andrew Garthwaite.
The judge told Fitzgerald, of Walton, near Brampton, he had sympathy with his bike mishap.
'What I can't sympathise with is that you went to Salou and got behind with your fine payments,' said the judge, who accused Fitzgerald of 'swanning off' while owing £3,000.
'When you appear before a court it is not some form of nice negotiation: you ask for a few things and hope you get them. I've got the power here, not you.
'I'm not happy you've gone off on your holidays and not done something you are supposed to do by order of the court. If you don't complete it you can go to prison.'
'You need to get your life in order. You need to get yourself sorted out. I'm not happy — not happy in the slightest,' added the judge. 'There are plenty of people in worse positions than you who pay their fines and don't spend money on themselves. You've got to make sure you get your priorities in place.'
Fitzgerald was given 20 extra hours' unpaid work as punishment, and must pay costs.
'Don't come back here,' the judge warned him.
