A drunk man got out of his car with an ax after crashing into a fence.
After police received multiple calls from the public, police found a license plate number of Tony Bateman’s damaged Peugeot at the scene and followed him to his home 100 meters away.
Bateman, 35, was sentenced to 34 weeks in prison in Bolton Crown Court, suspended for two years and is being monitored for alcohol abstinence.
Kimberley Obrusik, prosecutor, told how the police were first alerted on May 23 at 10:40 p.m. after four heavily drunk men were denied entry to the Mautbar pub in Horwich and drove away in a Peugeot.
“There were reports that they were trying to gain access to another eatery in the area and while the police were going to that address there was a report of a collision with a fence on Victoria Road,” said Miss Obrusik.
The police then received further calls that a man yelled and ran through the street with an ax before exiting at a bus stop.
Officials found the long-handled ax that Bateman later claimed he chopped wood for his fire and discovered his car with a damaged bumper near his home on Victoria Road.
“The defendant opened the door. The police described him as unsteady on his feet. His speech was slurred and he was so drunk that he could not string together a verdict,” said Miss Obrusik.
Bateman was arrested but refused to provide a breath sample and police found that he only had a temporary driver’s license.
He later pleaded guilty to not having provided a copy without driving a license, not to stop after an accident, not having insurance and a knife.
The court heard that Bateman had multiple previous convictions for traffic offenses, drunkenness and administrative offenses and served a prison sentence for aggravated assault 10 years ago.
Nicholas Ross said, “Most of his crimes have been related to alcohol and it has been a problem since he was 15 years old.”
Bateman wiped his tears away when Mr. Ross added that he was now motivated and seeking help to fight his alcoholism.
Bolton Honorary Clerk Judge Martin Walsh said the public is best served when the probation service works with Bateman to resolve his problems.
He ordered him to be monitored for alcohol abstinence for 90 days and rehabilitation for 40 days.
Bateman was also banned from driving for three years.
