Crash driver freed

Apr 4 2008 by Rebecca Edwards, Chester Chronicle

THE teenage driver in a double fatal crash has been released after serving seven weeks and three days of his 26-week sentence.

Michael Wood, 19, was serving time for dangerous driving on the night of the crash that killed rear-seat passengers Tristan Cook and Dominic Arnold, both 16, on December 10, 2006.

He was also convicted of careless driving at the time of the crash.

Wood, of Woodlands Drive, Hoole, was released early from Stoke Heath Young Offenders Institution on Easter Monday under a home detention curfew.

He must wear an electronic monitoring tag and obey a curfew order stopping him from leaving his home between 7.15pm and 7.15am.

If he breaks his licence terms or commits any crime he can be sent back to complete the rest of his six-month custodial sentence.

He is already under a two-year driving ban given automatically when he was convicted of dangerous driving in December and will have to take an extended test before he drives again.

In February Wood, who had hoped to join the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and attain a commission in the Army, unsuccessfully appealed against his six-month sentence.

Dogs on patrol

SNIFFER dogs will snuff out secret coke snorters in court.

The specially trained hounds will now be on regular four-legged patrol at Chester Magistrates Court where police are clamping down on people taking drugs in the court building.

Vincent Burke, spokesman for Her Majesty’s Court Service. said: “Following a number of drugs-related incidents, HMCS has agreed with Cheshire Police that it would be useful to have the Cheshire police sniffer dog team available at Chester Magistrates Court and Crown Court on random occasions.”

In February, a Chronicle investigation revealed cocaine had been snorted in both magistrates and crown courts in Chester.

And on March 17, a 46-year-old male juror from Crewe was discharged from a case after being caught smoking cannabis in the toilets at Crown Court. He was given a police caution.

Garden competition

AS GARDENS are beginning to bloom, Chester & District Housing Trust (CDHT) is announcing to its residents that its second Garden Competition is under way.

First, second and third prizes for Garden Competition 2008 winners will be awarded in each of CDHT’s six neighbourhoods. There will also be a Best Sheltered Scheme and Best Balcony/window box award. An award for the Best Young Gardener, for residents under 16, will also be presented.

Application forms for the Garden Competition 2008 are available from Centurion House, Northgate Street, Chester and from the Blacon office, The Parade, Blacon and the Lache office, Cliveden Road, Blacon.

The closing date for entries is Friday, July 25 with judging to take place in the week beginning August 4.

City Walls collapse

A PART of the Chester’s Walls collapsed on Thursday afternoon.

A section of the city landmark was sealed off after a section of wall between The Grosvenor hotel and St John’s Street collapsed at 5.20pm.

Police and workmen sealed sealed off the area but no one was hurt.

It is understood the collapsed section is next to a connecting wall which had been repaired before Christmas.