Drunk priest made to wear tag after second driving ban

Father Kenneth Hawley, 54, had been spotted driving erratically by an off-duty police officer who was on his way home from work at 12.15am on February 15.

It is the second drink-driving offence for the cleric, who was banned from driving after being stopped while over the limit four years ago, and now faces being electronically tagged.

Bingley Magistrates Court heard that a police officer had followed Hawley when he saw his Renault Clio driving on the opposite side of the road and speeding up and slowing down as he drove along.

Miss Marina Hunter-Gray, for the prosecution, told the court: “When the officer pulled up behind him he knocked on the window and when it was wound down he was immediately hit by the smell of intoxicants.

“He was slurring his words and his eyes were glazed. He staggered to get out of the driver’s side of the car, he could barely stand up.

“When he was stopped he said ‘I know what I have done’. He told the officer his last drink was 20 minutes ago. But he said ‘you don’t need to test me I know I’m over the limit. I know I have done wrong, I should not have driven’.”

Tests showed Hawley, from Halifax, had 117 microgrammes of alcohol

in 100 millilitres of breath the legal limit is 35.

The bench heard it was Father Hawley’s second drink-driving offence. In 2007 he was disqualified for 28 months and given a 12-month supervision order.

Tom Rushbrook, in mitigation for Hawley, said his client had a long-standing problem with depression and alcoholism and he realised the effect the offence would have on his occupation.

He is shattered by what he has done and and how foolish he has been, said Mr Rushbrook.

Hawley, a priest at St Winifreds Roman Catholic Church in Bradford, wore glasses, a white shirt and dark coat as he appeared in court and gave no reaction as he was sentenced.

Magistrates gave Hawley a 15 months supervision order, with a curfew to be monitored by an electronic tag from 10pm to 8am for three months.

He was also disqualified from driving for four years and ordered to pay £85 costs.