Drunk immigration lawyer who drove his automotive in direction of oncoming site visitors and smashed right into a telegraph pole and 9 parked automobiles is fined £10,000
- Kalum Gunarathna drunkenly drove into oncoming site visitors in February 2019
- The lawyer had left work at S. Satha & Co Solicitors, the place he was ingesting
- He crashed right into a telegraph publish and 9 automobiles earlier than he tried to flee
- He was sentenced to 9 months in jail and has now been fined £10,000
A prime lawyer drunkenly drove his automotive in direction of oncoming site visitors and smashed right into a telegraph pole and 9 parked automobiles, a disciplinary listening to has heard.
Kalum Gunarathna left work at S. Satha & Co Solicitors after ingesting in February 2019 and bought into his automotive, earlier than driving into oncoming site visitors and crashing right into a telegraph publish.
As kids appeared on, the veteran lawyer struck parked automobiles and reversed at pace in an try and flee the scene of the accident, however smashed into extra automobiles.
In 2019, Mr Gunarathna was sentenced to 9 months in jail, suspended for 2 years, and disqualified from driving for 2 years.
Now, he has been fined £10,000 by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, who stated it was ‘fortuitous that no bodily hurt’ was brought about within the incident.
Kalum Gunarathna (pictured) left work after ingesting in February 2019 and bought into his automotive, earlier than driving into oncoming site visitors and crashing right into a telegraph publish
He labored at S. Satha & Co Solicitors in London on the time of the incident, the place he specialised in immigration and asylum circumstances.
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal heard Mr Gunarathna, who certified as a lawyer in Sri Lanka 35 years in the past, left work within the night after ingesting and bought into his automotive.
He then drove into oncoming site visitors and narrowly prevented a collision, earlier than he smashed right into a telegraph publish and struck 4 parked automobiles, pushing one into the center of the street.
A witness stated they noticed him reverse at pace in an try and flee the scene however he was blocked by one of many automobiles he had beforehand hit.
Mr Gunarathna, who has been a solicitor within the UK for 17 years, then reversed once more and smashed into one other car, which was shunted into yet one more parked automotive.
In one other try and reverse, Mr Gunarathna once more crashed into the primary automotive he struck, earlier than hitting one other two automobiles and driving the mistaken method down a one-way road.
The lawyer finally stopped his car after he crashed into yet one more car, the listening to was informed.
The witness approached Mr Gunarathna, who stated he had been attempting to reverse with a view to go away however was unable to take action.
The veteran lawyer labored at S. Satha & Co Solicitors (pictured) in London on the time. Now, he has been fined £10,000 by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal
Cops discovered Mr Gunarathna smelling strongly of alcohol and having problem standing up straight.
Mr Gunarathna pleaded responsible and was convicted of harmful driving at London’s Snaresbrook Crown Courtroom in April 2019.
He was sentenced to 9 months in jail which was suspended for 2 years, ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work and was disqualified from driving for 2 years.
Mr Gunarathna was additionally ordered to pay £750 in compensation and pay £1,500 in authorized prices.
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal stated Mr Gunarathna ought to have identified higher as a person along with his skilled expertise.
It stated: ‘[Mr Gunarathna] ought to have identified higher as a person of his age {and professional} expertise. He was solely and extremely culpable.
‘It was fortuitous that no bodily hurt was brought about to the general public however emotional hurt was undoubtedly brought about to people who noticed the occasions as they unfolded.
‘These observers included kids in a car with their father.’
The tribunal ordered Mr Gunarathna to pay a £10,000 and £2,000 in prices.
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