Attorney General’s Reference No 26 of 1999 Under Section 36 of Criminal Justice Act 1988; Regina v Gastinger: CACD 29 Jul 1999

The AG sought to refer to the court as unduly lenient a sentence of 100 hours community service for causing death by dangerous driving. The had been seen driving erratically along the M6, when he veered onto the hard shoulder colliding with an unlit vehicle, killing the driver.
Held: Falling asleep at the wheel usually involves a period during which a driver is conscious of drowsiness and difficulty in keeping his or her eyes open. The proper course for a driver in such a position to adopt is to stop driving and rest.

Citations:

[1999] EWCA Crim 2116, [2001] CAR (S) 394

Statutes:

Criminal Justice Act 1988 36

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Criminal Sentencing, Road Traffic

Updated: 02 September 2022; Ref: scu.158516