Snooker ace Ronnie O’Sullivan tries to get primary teacher friend off driving ban after he smashed Suzuki Swift into school railings following drinking session and then fled
- Ronnie O’Sullivan was character witness for John Morgan, 32, facing driving ban
- Court heard teacher morgan crashed into railings at Eveswell Primary, Newport
Snooker ace Ronnie O’Sullivan tried to help a friend get off a driving ban after he smashed his Suzuki Swift into school railings following a drinking session and fled the scene.
World champion O’Sullivan acted as a character witness for his friend John Morgan after he ploughed into the school fence – but magistrates snubbed the plea to ban him for 14 months.
Primary school teacher Morgan, 32, is a friend of snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan who goes on training runs with star.
But a court heard he crashed Suzuki Swift into railings at Eveswell Primary School in Newport, Gwent, Wales before running off on February 18.
Magistrates heard Morgan is a former professional athlete who takes the seven-times world champion running when he visits Wales for the championship matches.
World champion O’Sullivan acted as a character witness for his friend primary school teacher John Morgan (pictured), 32, after he ploughed into the school fence – but magistrates snubbed the plea to ban him for 14 months
Primary school teacher Morgan, 32, is a friend of snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan (pictured) who goes on training runs with star
Mr O’Sullivan provided a character reference for Morgan shown to the court by his solicitor Oliver Jenkins.
He said: ‘Mr Morgan has a character reference from Ronnie O’Sullivan and he takes him out running when he is in Wales to keep him out of the papers.
‘The defendant is deeply embarrassed at having to come to court.
‘It is a humbling experience, but he accepts that he has brought this on himself.’
David Thomas, prosecuting, said: ‘At around 11.50pm on February 18, the fire service and police were called to the scene.
‘The car had been abandoned with significant damage to it and the keys were still in the ignition.’
Morgan, a teacher at a primary school in Cardiff, was traced shortly after to his home and tested positive for being more than twice the drink-driving limit.
‘When police officers arrived, he replied, ‘I’m sorry. I know, I know,’ Mr Thomas told the court.
Morgan was arrested and taken to Newport Central police station where he was breathalysed again.
Morgan, of Newport pleaded guilty to drink-driving with 47 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.
Mr Jenkins said Morgan had driven after arguing with his partner about how late he had arrived home from a Newport County AFC match.
A court heard he crashed Suzuki Swift into railings at Eveswell Primary School (pictured) in Newport, Gwent, Wales before running off on February 18
‘Driving was a grave error of judgement,’ his lawyer said. ‘He was going to sleep in the car in a nearby park.
‘He was a man of previous good character, but he’s lost that this afternoon.’
Morgan suffered bullying during his athletics career as a middle distance runner, the court was told.
He is in a band and does charity work that promotes anti-bullying campaigns in schools and is involved with an organisation called Kidscape.
After hearing of the character witnesses, District Judge Sophie Toms told the defendant his case was ‘aggravated by the fact of him fleeing the scene.’
She banned him from driving for 14 months and fined him £834.
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