The Civil Aviation Authority said it would withhold his pilot's security clearance for 10 years for breaching its regulations and having a criminal conviction.
Interesting that it was not the court that has imposed the ban. I am unsure whether with a ban of this length the CAA have over stepped the mark. The ban they have imposed is longer than the rehabilitation of offenders act should allow, which would be seven years till the conviction is 'spent'. I also think is is wrong in the UK that many 'crimes' that would be registered as 'misdemeanours' in other countries attract a life time criminal record, and lets face it this mans 'type' of crime does not make him a security risk at airports.
There is punishment and then there is the utter destruction of someone and his family, the latter is wrong. I wonder, there must be some pilots out there who have lost their driving licence due to drink driving. If they managed to continue with their jobs albeit difficult because of the practicalities, but if they did, did they then get a 10 year ban by the CAA for having a criminal record?
It is a funny aspect of human nature how many people judge this man as a 'drunk' who had a big drink problem. Maybe he is, but that is not something that can be concluded from the evidence. He had a level of alcohol in his blood that, many on this forum would have if they went out with their family for sunday lunch, had a glass of wine, and then drove them home. It is a little like how we all sneer at athletes who are labled 'druggies' guilty of 'drug abuse' when the reality is that they had a substance in their blood from chewing on a strepsil.
I hope he is able to put his life back together.
Heli Cal
After you have finished being so happy that this man is languishing in jail,
I wonder if you could please start a thread titled 'How to be Perfect', we would all benefit so much from your advice, and I for one would be an eager reader. Thanks
