South Yorkshire Times, August 10.
Was making ” Sentimental Journey” to Conisbrough
Making a “sentimental journey” to his native village of Conisbrough, a 45-year-old chartered accountant, was allowed to look round the house, where he had spent his boyhood days, visited a local public house and then visited Conisbrough Castle. His next stop was at Conisbrough police station, Doncaster West Riding Magistrates were told on Friday.
The accountant, Geoffrey Dunk, of Sackville Street, Hove, denied being in charge of a car while under the influence of drink. The case was found proved and he was fined £35, disqualified from driving for six months and ordered to pay £4 8s 3d costs.
Could not Rouse Him.
Prosecuting, Mr Frank Taylor said that on May 23 Mr Reginald Ames, custodian of Conisbrough Castle, noticed Dunk in a sports car parked in the drive at 3.20 p.m. He appeared to be asleep. At 4.30 p.m.. He was still there, and Mr Ames unsuccessfully attempted to rouse him, so he sent for the police.
At 4.45 p.m.. The police managed to rouse him with difficulty. Mr Taylor said Dunk smelled of drink and was unsteady on his feet.
Mr Derek Wright, of Doncaster Road, Conisbrough, said he examined Dunk at Conisbrough police station, and came to the conclusion that he was not fit to be in charge of a motor vehicle.
Dunk told the Bench that in February he and his wife became separate and he decided to make a sentimental journey to his hometown, hoping to restore his shattered morale. The reaction, he said, was the opposite.
At lunchtime he went in the Star Inn at Conisbrough, where he had 2 pints of beer. That was all the drink he had that day. Then he went to the Castle with the intention of climbing to the top of the keep. When he was about three quarters of the way up the outside steps he felt extremely tired. He said he felt “an overpowering need to sleep.” So he returned to the car where he immediately went to sleep.
Key in his Pocket.
He said he had the ignition key in his pocket when the police woke him up. His extremely long legs made it difficult for him to alight from his car, and regarding speech he said that until recently he had an impediment. Recently he had managed to overcome this impediment but when he was tired it tended to assert itself.
Asked by Mr Taylor about a carrier bag containing a partly filled bottle of whiskey and a soda syphon which was said to have been found on the floor of the car by the front passenger seat, Dunk replied that the bag was not there but in the side pocket of the door on the passenger side.
Dunk denied having had more than 2 pints of beer that day when Mr Taylor asked him if he had been frank about his drinking