Jailed for "a few beers"

Sunday 15 December 2019

A 21-year-old will be spending Christmas behind bars after breaching his bail condition not to drink any alcohol, for a second time.

Ciaran Hampton pleaded guilty to criminal damage and not guilty to assault last month.

He was released on bail until a later sentencing date, with a condition not to drink any alcohol and to submit to a breath test when asked to do so.

Guernsey Police realised he had breached this condition for the first time earlier this month, when he phoned the police and said he had been assaulted. When officers arrived, they noticed he had been drinking.

When he first appeared in court for breaching his bail he was given another chance, having alerted the police himself, and was released on bail again. 

Pictured: Hampton will spend Christmas in jail.

However, in the early hours of last Thursday morning, Hampton was approached once again by police officers who were patrolling past a Town takeaway. They confirmed he had been drinking alcohol and arrested him, to which the defendant said, "It's a waste of time, I'll go to court and be released again".

In his mitigation, Advocate Alan Merrien told the court how Hampton had just split with his girlfriend, and his colleague had suggested they go out for "a few beers" after their shift.

Advocate Merrien explained that the defendant is currently studying for a degree and has a work placement in the island as part of his studies.

"He has asked that the court considers giving him another chance," Advocate Merrien added.

Judge Graeme McKerrell was unimpressed with the defendant's attitude.

"It seems that you think the court doesn't mean what it says," he said on sentencing. "The court does mean what it says."

Hampton has been remanded in custody for four weeks and will return to the Magistrate's Court for a trial for the assault charge he denies, next year

Pictured top: The Royal Court House.