Drink-driving Norwich solicitor crashed car through teenager’s bedroom wall

A Norwich solicitor who was behind the wheel of a car which lost control and crashed through the wall of a family home and into a child's bedroom has been banned from driving after admitting drink driving, it has emerged.

It is understood Edward Savory, an associate with Leathes Prior solicitors in Norwich, pleaded guilty to one count of drink driving and another of driving without due care and attention at Norwich Magistrates' Court on Friday.

He had 120 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35microgrammes.

Savory, 32, of Hemblington Lane, Strumpshaw, was disqualified from driving for 14 months, which will be reduced by a third if he completes a driver awareness programme, fined �760 and ordered to pay �85 costs. He must also pay a victim surcharge.

It follows a crash last month during which a boy miraculously escaped serious injury when Savory's car, an Audi, careered out of control and through the wall of a barn conversion in Norwich Road, Strumpshaw, while two children and their parents slept.

The sporty Audi car was still embedded in the wall of the property the morning after the crash, which happened at about 2am on October 14, which was described by the householder as being 'like an earthquake'.

Fire crews from nearby Acle and Carrow, in Norwich, were called out to assess the damage and make the scene safe. A spokesman said it was 'extremely lucky' no-one was injured.

A spokesman for the East Anglian Ambulance Service said that a crew had checked over a teenage boy at the scene but he did not need to go to hospital.

This newspaper contacted Savory for a comment following the court case but was told he was in a meeting while, when contacted, the solicitors', based in The Close, Norwich, said there was 'no-one available at all' for a comment.

The sentence has today been criticised by drink-drive and road charities who say a stronger message needs to go out to those convicted of drink drive offences.

A spokesman for the Campaign Against Drinking and Driving (CADD), which was set up in May 1985 to support families of victims killed and injured by drunken and irresponsible drivers, said: 'I think any sentence like that is horrendous really for the family because of the what ifs. For such a low sentence is it really teaching a lesson? Is the driver going to learn anything from that sentence? It's quite shocking really.

'I think so many of these sentences you hear about are very lenient and is the person who has causes the damage going to learn by it or think, it's a lenient sentence and as soon as I can drive again will get back in the car and do it again.'

Chief Inspector Chris Spinks, for Roads Policing at Norfolk police, said: 'This incident demonstrates clearly how alcohol seriously impairs your ability to drive and that drink driving can have serious consequences.

'It is fortunate that no-one was hurt in this collision although a great deal of damage was caused. As we head into the festive period, this is a timely reminder not to drink and drive – stay safe by taking a taxi or public transport, have a designated driver who sticks to soft drinks, or do not consume alcohol at all.'

Speaking at the time of the crash, Acle watch manager Mark Bedwell said: 'We found the car had collided with the house and caused considerable structural damage.

'We immediately evacuated the family from the property and called a structural engineer to come and inspect it.

'He advised it was best to leave the car in place until the house could be properly shored up.'

He said it appeared that the car had been travelling down Mill Road and failed to stop at the junction with Norwich Road in front of the house.

'The car mainly collided with one of the children's bedrooms so it was extremely lucky no one was seriously injured.

'I believe the boy in the bedroom was checked over by an ambulance crew at the scene.'

A page on the Leathes Prior website states Savory grew up in Norfolk before heading to Newcastle University from where he graduated with a 2:1 degree in Law. He trained in London with DAC Beachcroft LLP, qualifying in 2006.

From 2007 to 2011 he worked as an associate in the Business and Finance team at the London office of global law firm, Morgan Lewis & Bockius.

It states he joined Leathes Prior in June 2011 as an associate in the firm's company/commercial team, specialising in franchising.

He advises local, national and international businesses on a wide range of commercial issues relevant to their expansion through franchising or licensing structures.

It adds he is pro-actively involved with the British Franchise Association (BFA) and is on the panel of solicitors who review the franchise agreements of prospective BFA members to ensure they comply with the BFA's Code of Ethics upholding ethical franchising in the UK.

Away from the office Savory, who advises charities on a pro bono basis and is the appointed solicitor to the charity SNAAP (Special Needs Advisory and Activity Project), is a keen sportsman who regularly plays various sports including golf, tennis, squash, hockey and cricket. He is also a lifelong fan of Norwich City and a keen countryman.