Australia Brisbane - Pulled-over driver 'too fat to exit car'
Pulled-over driver 'too fat to exit car'
AN obese motorist arrested after a drunken rampage denied resisting police, claiming he was too fat to get out of his car, the Brisbane District Court heard today.
Damian Gerard Hannigan, 42, yesterday pleaded guilty to a raft of traffic violations including dangerous driving while under the influence, failing to stop, failing to give a breath test and obstructing police, The Courier-Mail reports.
The man led police on a high-speed pursuit in Brisbane's south, in April this year after officers attempted to pull him over, the court was told.
Prosecutor Shelley Francis said Hannigan reached speeds in excess of 100kp/h on the 60kp/h road, driving into oncoming traffic and narrowly avoiding crashes.
He was finally stopped after hitting a traffic sign, she said.
It was alleged Hannigan told police officers attempting to forcibly remove him from the vehicle to "f**k off" and began struggling violently.
The officers ultimately needed capsicum spray to subdue the man, the court was told.
Ms Francis said a highly-intoxicated Hannigan was so drunk and obese it took three officers to place him in a paddy wagon.
But Hannigan's lawyer denied his client had resisted police, arguing the man was so overweight he had had difficulty getting out of his car.
Although claiming to have lost 30kg since the incident, Hannigan struggled to reach his feet for sentencing.
Senior Judge Gilbert Trafford-Walker told Hannigan he had no choice but to sentence him to a term in prison.
He sentenced him to 18 months in prison and disqualified him from holding a drivers license for three years.
