Banned 21 times - but Adrian Meaker still keeps driving
THIS is the face of one of Bristol’s worst drivers.
Adrian Meaker has been banned from driving 21 times, and has just been jailed for his latest offence.
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Menace on Bristol's roads - Danger driver Adrian Meaker has been jailed for just eight months
His awful record of car crime began in 1978 when he was just 15. Since then he has been banned for a total of 21 years, but constantly defies the law to get behind the wheel time and time again.
The 48 year-old’s record has been described by a judge as one of the worst he had ever seen.
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In his most recent offence, Meaker crashed his Ford Ka as police officers chased after him when he failed to stop at a red light.
He smashed into a van during the police pursuit, which lasted just 500 yards, Bristol Crown Court was told.
Meaker, of Cossham Street, Mangotsfield, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to comply with a traffic signal, driving while disqualified, failing to stop after an accident and driving without insurance in January.
The Recorder of Bristol His Honour Judge Neil Ford QC jailed him for eight months – the 15th time he has been sentenced to custody for driving offences.
Judge Ford said: “As you know, you have got as bad a record for road traffic offences as ever comes before these courts.
“A particularly aggravating feature of this case is that on September 11 last year, for driving whilst disqualified and no insurance, you received a sentence of 13 weeks.
“Within a short time of your release from prison you have committed these offences.”
Meaker’s long list of previous convictions include 21 offences of driving while disqualified and three further charges of driving in a reckless or dangerous way.
The judge this week banned Meaker, yet again, for another two years and told him to pass an extended driving test before returning behind the wheel.
Robert Reid, prosecuting, said police spotted banned driver Meaker driving in Mangotsfield and a marked police car used its lights and sirens to try and pull him over at Siston Hill roundabout.
Mr Reid said: “He drove through a red traffic light and as a result, almost inevitably, crashed into another vehicle.
“He became wedged between the vehicle and another vehicle and was revving furiously.
“He abandoned the car on a grass verge. There was a female passenger and the defendant attempted to escape and the passenger remained.”
The court heard Meaker claimed he owed a drug debt to a female gangster and had driven because he wanted to sell some bedding.
His previous offences included a plethora of convictions for driving while disqualified, extending back to the 1970s and continuing through the 1980s, ’90s and 2000s, the court was told.
Tabitha Macfarlane, defending, said: “Mr Meaker is an expert in illegal driving.
“His list goes back to the 1970s and it reads like an historical document. Even Borstal is on there.
“He’s 48 years old and he says he’s fed up with his life. He says his whole life is based around rubbish and drugs and he ought to get a life.
“He has a grandchild due in June and he wants to get clean and qualified.”
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Comments
by Cider_Dog
Monday, February 20 2012, 3:11PM
“"Mr Meaker is an expert in illegal driving."
And this is from his barrister?
Crikey, I wouldn't be retaining her services if I ever fell foul of the law!
Regardless, this guy should never be allowed to hold a licence of any sort ever again, he will end up killing someone.”
by John_Name
Saturday, February 18 2012, 11:37AM
“@Real Bristol
'can't blame him for not having insurance, I think we should all do it seeing as its regulated theft.'
This is an easy and cheap thing to say, and very, very wrong. My 18 year old has just passed her test, and I am now paying £2300 for her insurance. My 16 year old will start driving lessons in a few months, and then I will have to fork out stupendous amounts of money for insurance again. Cripplingly expensive, all the same insurance is not theft. You can easily get out of paying car insurance - by not driving. I may not like paying so much money, but I have to accept that I freely choose to do so. And I really think that, once you get behind the wheel, never mind the fact that insurance is then compulsory, you have a duty to other road users to get insured. Uninsured drivers like the git in the article are a menace.”
by Trucks79
Saturday, February 18 2012, 7:59AM
“clearly no respect for the law or for anyone. this guy clearly needs locking up bans do not work for a lot of people as the risk of being caught driving whilst on a ban is low. he needs locking up or maybe chop off one hand and one leg then he cant drive any more.”
by brs_traffic
Friday, February 17 2012, 8:26AM
“@RealBristol "can't blame him for not having insurance, I think we should all do it seeing as its regulated theft."
No, its to ensure that when someone drives into you they get to share the costs. It also ensures that people who get fined for driving through red lights or other careless/dangerous driving incidents get to pay more, because they are considered more dangerous (speeding tickets are treated less seriously, apparently).
There is a lot of evidence that uninsured drivers tend to drive more dangerously (maybe they know they are such bad drivers they would get a massive premium); same for unlicensed drivers. These people also inevitably avoid paying VED (where you need to show you are insured), so don't need MOT either. Which means their cars may be with bad brakes, worn out tyres, broken mirrors and indicators, and an exhaust chucking out black smoke.
This makes them much more dangerous than everyone else.
You, being a safe driver (presumably), have the option of only getting third party insurance, and of going with someone like the co-op that can install something looks at your driving style to decide on your premium. If you don't drive very much you can get a low premium too.”
by collegefields
Thursday, February 16 2012, 8:43PM
“@Real_Bristol
What happens when he kills someone ? Have you got insurance ?
Get "Real"”
by Flowellawella
Thursday, February 16 2012, 8:12PM
“Expert illigal driver .. more like expert ball s*iter.. owed money to a femail gangster pmsl .dirty little smack rat”
by Real_Bristol
Thursday, February 16 2012, 6:35PM
“can't blame him for not having insurance, I think we should all do it seeing as its regulated theft.”
by SumYeungGuy
Thursday, February 16 2012, 6:20PM
“the answer is simple, cut off his right foot!”
by crazy_golfer
Thursday, February 16 2012, 5:16PM
“Tabitha Macfarlane, defending, said: "Mr Meaker is an expert in illegal driving."
No he's not! He keeps getting caught..”
by kingswoodkid
Thursday, February 16 2012, 5:10PM
“oh not the im having a granchild and want to clean up , come on if he wanted to clean up he would have done it years ago , yes winford same old story , lock him up and throw away the key , what we need is an island to dump these low life on with no transport”