A PROMINENT Jersey lawyer got drunk and hit another car with his Jaguar before continuing to drive for over a mile – leaving behind marks in the road that police officers followed to find him.
David Samuel Steenson (57) was yesterday jailed for seven months and could now face disciplinary action from his professional body, the Jersey Law Society.
He previously admitted two counts of dangerous driving, one count of failing to stop after an accident, and one count of driving under the influence of alcohol in the Magistrate’s Court.
Legal adviser Harrison Gollop said the collision took place on 16 May – ten days after Steenson had finished his community service for attacking a taxi driver, an offence that also involved alcohol.
Steenson admitted in court that he had “a problem” with alcohol.
He was described as a “gifted” advocate by his own legal representative.
Advocate Debbie Corbel, defending, said Steenson had stopped at a friend’s house on his way home from work. The friend had already poured him a glass of wine in the garden.
Having been sober for months since his conviction for the previous assault, Steenson accepted the drink, she said.
He got into his “saloon-style” Jaguar, and was that evening seen driving over the white line in the middle of the road.
He hit a car that was travelling in the opposite direction – with a mother and daughter inside – and claimed that he hadn’t realised that he had hit another vehicle, thinking instead he had hit a curb or a wall.
He continued driving for just over a mile with his tyre coming off and his wheel at an angle – leaving traces that the police followed to eventually find him.
The other driver suffered whiplash and the court heard that Steenson had asked for his apology to the victims to be passed on to them.
After Relief Magistrate Tan Ikram had retired to make a decision on Steenson’s fate, he was called back so that Steenson could address him directly – an unusual measure.
Steenson complained about the way his pre-sentence report had been compiled and claimed he had not tried to “minimise” his offence.
But the Relief Magistrate warned him: “I don’t even think this [pre-sentence report] was particularly adverse to your position. It was actually rather supportive… arguing your point doesn’t necessarily help you.”
His advocate added that she hadn’t tried to paint an unflattering picture of him, and Steenson replied that he was not trying to undermine his lawyer.
Relief Magistrate Ikram said that Steenson “should have been acutely aware, because he is a lawyer, of the risks of reoffending”.
He added that while Steenson said he “does not seek to minimise his responsibility for his offending”, the pre-sentence report “suggests to me otherwise”.
Delivering the sentence, Relief Magistrate Ikram said that Advocate Corbel had been “eloquent” in representing Steenson.
But the offending was “serious”, he said – pointing to the mile Steenson had driven with his steering impacted – scoring the road as he went.
“It would be impossible not to know” that he had had an accident, the Magistrate said.
Steenson has been disqualified for 30 months and will need to sit an extended test before he can drive again.
The Jersey Law Society said that practitioners who are convicted of criminal offences “may subsequently face disciplinary action”.
Law Society chief executive Neville Benbow added: “That process is now expected to commence in this case, following Advocate Steenson’s conviction in the Magistrate’s Court.
“However, we cannot confirm how long this process will take or provide any updates on progress.
“The outcome of the disciplinary process is not publicised unless there is a public sanction such as a public reprimand or fine.”
He added that matters can be referred to the Attorney General to take to the Royal Court, which can then impose a fine, a suspension, or strike the lawyer off.
Advocate Corbel said her client was planning to appeal the sentence.
