Father jailed for 9 months for throwing beer can on road race circuit

[Admin]

A devoted father who threw a beer can on the Southern 100 course just seconds before competitors were due to speed through has been sent to prison.

Deemster Montgomerie said that Martin Lee Morris, aged 28, who begged not to go to prison because of the effect on his family, should have thought about that before his drunken actions at last year’s practice session, which could have resulted in a tragedy on the Billown Course.


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The court heard that, but for the bravery of another member of the public who dashed out to remove the can, there could have been a disaster.

Morris was told by the Deemster, who sent him to p0rison for nine and a half months: ‘You knew the road was closed and racing was in progress. You threw the can which, as a result, put the lives of racers and others at risk and you were clearly intoxicated.

‘Be under no illusion Mr Morris, it was more good luck than judgement that no-one was injured or indeed killed.’

He added: ‘It was a very dangerous action carried out just before the bikes were due, it was fortunate that the member of the public ran out and retrieved the can, I shudder to think what would have happened if he hadn’t.’

Morris, of Malew Street Castletown, had admitted a charge of wilfully endangering public safety, but denied he had thrown the can on the course deliberately while the practices were in progress.

He argued he was one of a group of people in an altercation when he threw it at someone else and missed.

Morris’s advocate Ian Kermode pleaded for the court not to send Morris to prison, saying Morris was the main carer for his three-year-old daughter.

But Mr Montgomerie said the impact on the family should not be seen as a ‘get out of jail’ card and said Morris should have thought of his daughter before he threw the can.

The court heard from Amanda Lawler and how she witnessed a man on the grass bank at Castletown bypass throw a can on the course, which was closed for a practice session, on July 11.

Ms Lawler immediately went to her son nearby because she feared a serious accident if any of the racers hit the can.

A brave spectator, who was not named in court, ran on to the course and took the can.

Sergeant Rosie Hawes, who was in the race control box, told the court she saw an object being thrown and saw the can on the ground.

He (Morris) was questioned by the prosecutor Stuart Neale about the statement he made to police the following day, when he was sober. At that point he said he could not remember much due to being assaulted.

But giving evidence to the court, Morris said he could remember ‘bits’ of what had happened and was adamant he did not throw the can on to the course deliberately.

Mr Neale told the court that the defendant was seen to pull his arm back and throw an item high into the road, a male next to the defendant shouted ‘you’re an idiot.’

Deemster Montgomerie said he found Ms Lawler’s account more convincing and he did not believe Morris’s claim that the throw was reckless.

Advocate Ian Kermode produced several letter to court talking about Morris’s devotion to his daughter.

Mr Kermode accepted Morris had previous convictions in the UK and cautions in the Isle of Man, but his issue was being addressed.

While it was easy to portray Morris as a ‘drunken idiot’, who put people’s lives at risk, the letters at court portrayed a different person, said Mr Kermode.

He said the defendant, who developed a serious illness in October, was pleading from the bottom of his heart and was begging not to be sent to prison, but Deemster Montgomerie said it was usually the case the defendant before him was not the same as the one who committed the offences.

[LittleBlackBlade]

fuck em!
only got 9 months he will get over it!
if somebody hit it they just might not have recovered in 9 months!

[scottser32]

MORON!!!! Serves him right, feel bad for his daughter tho.

[Gixxer]

Bit of a harsh sentence alright, but fuck him
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[Whiskey]

Good enough for him, if a racer hit that & lost it there would have been people killed.

Dopey bollox will think twice next time

[748s]

I hope he got a good kick up the hole aswell!!!!
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[crispy]

Originally Posted by Admin

A devoted father who threw a beer can on the Southern 100 course just seconds before competitors were due to speed through has been sent to prison.

Deemster Montgomerie said that Martin Lee Morris, aged 28, who begged not to go to prison because of the effect on his family, should have thought about that before his drunken actions at last year’s practice session, which could have resulted in a tragedy on the Billown Course.


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The court heard that, but for the bravery of another member of the public who dashed out to remove the can, there could have been a disaster.

Morris was told by the Deemster, who sent him to p0rison for nine and a half months: ‘You knew the road was closed and racing was in progress. You threw the can which, as a result, put the lives of racers and others at risk and you were clearly intoxicated.

‘Be under no illusion Mr Morris, it was more good luck than judgement that no-one was injured or indeed killed.’

He added: ‘It was a very dangerous action carried out just before the bikes were due, it was fortunate that the member of the public ran out and retrieved the can, I shudder to think what would have happened if he hadn’t.’

Morris, of Malew Street Castletown, had admitted a charge of wilfully endangering public safety, but denied he had thrown the can on the course deliberately while the practices were in progress.

He argued he was one of a group of people in an altercation when he threw it at someone else and missed.

Morris’s advocate Ian Kermode pleaded for the court not to send Morris to prison, saying Morris was the main carer for his three-year-old daughter.

But Mr Montgomerie said the impact on the family should not be seen as a ‘get out of jail’ card and said Morris should have thought of his daughter before he threw the can.

The court heard from Amanda Lawler and how she witnessed a man on the grass bank at Castletown bypass throw a can on the course, which was closed for a practice session, on July 11.

Ms Lawler immediately went to her son nearby because she feared a serious accident if any of the racers hit the can.

A brave spectator, who was not named in court, ran on to the course and took the can.

Sergeant Rosie Hawes, who was in the race control box, told the court she saw an object being thrown and saw the can on the ground.

He (Morris) was questioned by the prosecutor Stuart Neale about the statement he made to police the following day, when he was sober. At that point he said he could not remember much due to being assaulted.

But giving evidence to the court, Morris said he could remember ‘bits’ of what had happened and was adamant he did not throw the can on to the course deliberately.

Mr Neale told the court that the defendant was seen to pull his arm back and throw an item high into the road, a male next to the defendant shouted ‘you’re an idiot.’

Deemster Montgomerie said he found Ms Lawler’s account more convincing and he did not believe Morris’s claim that the throw was reckless.

Advocate Ian Kermode produced several letter to court talking about Morris’s devotion to his daughter.

Mr Kermode accepted Morris had previous convictions in the UK and cautions in the Isle of Man, but his issue was being addressed.

While it was easy to portray Morris as a ‘drunken idiot’, who put people’s lives at risk, the letters at court portrayed a different person, said Mr Kermode.

He said the defendant, who developed a serious illness in October, was pleading from the bottom of his heart and was begging not to be sent to prison, but Deemster Montgomerie said it was usually the case the defendant before him was not the same as the one who committed the offences.

Pity the courts weren't more strict over here about stuff like this....

[maxi]

feel sorry for his family and his three year old kid he cares for , fact he got in trouble at other races means he is a complete knob , its his kid i feel sorry for ,

[I polished one off to a dude]

damn straight, lock the cunt up
pussy uses his daughter as an excuse then

[Magnets]

No sympathy at all, at his age he should have more sense

[ZX104EVER]

Originally Posted by LittleBlackBlade

fuck em!
only got 9 months he will get over it!
if somebody hit it they just might not have recovered in 9 months!

Yeah .Fuck Him again . .
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Fooking Asshole . .
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[PADDYOT]

Racers have enough to contend with without pricks like that fucking shit onto the track!! fuck him.

[eoiny]

Originally Posted by crispy

Pity the courts weren't more strict over here about stuff like this....

spot on
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[Steffano2002]

Fully deserved!

Don't drop the soap now!

[philmire]

yea agree with this people might think twice next time did the lad who poured die.sel all over the road ever get caught ?

[green grass]

I hate loud drunk people at road races! Time and a place for every thing! And fuck him again!

[scottser32]

Originally Posted by maxi

feel sorry for his family and his three year old kid he cares for , fact he got in trouble at other races means he is a complete knob , its his kid i feel sorry for ,

he got in trouble at other races???

[TicTac]

Was the can full i wonder? Be like hitting a brick at high speed if it was.

[one armed bandit]

Hope he got a beating at the track side fuckin asshole. I hate seeing these cunts at the road races or any other event for that matter they ruin it for the true fans.

[Sugule Ali]

Thats great to see the law taking it serious, he deserves every day of that sentence