Welsh Rugby Shame Over Golf Buggy Drink Driving Fiasco

By Tom Doerr

Welsh international Rugby player Andy Powell has been arrested by South Wales police after being caught drink driving a Golf Buggy taken from the team hotel in which he was staying. The player was charged for "driving a mechanically propelled vehicle whilst unfit through drink" under the road traffic act 1988.

Powell, 28, was taken into custody before 6am at a motorway service station three miles from the club's national hotel in the Vale of Glamorgan. The back-row forward had reportedly taken the 15mph vehicle after an all night drinking binge with his teammates and driven it down the hard shoulder of the motorway in order to find food as the hotel was not serving breakfast until 7am.

A Welsh Rugby Union statement read "Powell has been suspended from the squad for behaviour contrary to the squad's code of conduct".

It is not uncommon for athletes to avoid prosecution especially for driving offences but the circumstances of Powell's arrest make for a very grey are;. There is no clear definition of a 'mechanically propelled vehicle' and there is no strict legal alcohol limit for operating any of them.

Nick Freeman, commonly known as 'Mr Loophole' commented that "this could lead to an anomaly where someone is driving a mechanically propelled vehicle, which is not a motor vehicle, whilst over the prescribed limit".

Although Powell is due in court on March 2nd, it is unclear whether the prosecution will stick with such vague legal boundaries and it could be argued that he broke no law with his driving licence.

If Powell can avoid prosecution for drink driving he may still face charges for theft as he did not own the golf buggy and there is no confirmation that he took it with any permission of the hotel. If the Hotel did have a part to play the fiasco could turn into a whole other ball game. - 31829

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