Blind man drives 240 km on highway while drunk

Anthony Hall drove 240 km at night while blind, though he could still perceive some lights, after consuming four bottles of wine with his girlfriend.

Anthony Hall, 50, received a three-year suspended sentence in mid-September after Kirklees court found him guilty of drunk driving and driving without a license.

The incident occurred in the early hours of 29/6, when police received reports of a driver operating a vehicle on the highway while drunk and blind.

An officer pulled Hall over after his Vauxhall was spotted swerving erratically between lanes and mounting the curb. Police detected alcohol on his breath, and when questioned, he stated that he and his girlfriend had consumed four bottles of wine.

Hall told officers he had been blind for about two years but could still perceive some lights. While on the highway, he claimed he followed the lights of a heavy goods vehicle.

According to police, Hall had traveled approximately 240 km and had taken his girlfriend's car without permission. Hall testified he intended to drive to Scotland, seeking to escape his home, his relationship, and his financial situation.

Hall's breath alcohol reading was 50 micrograms per 100 milliliters of breath, 15 micrograms above the legal limit for driving in England. Despite his good record and the court's sympathy for his personal crises, he received the suspended sentence.