Man who dangled from Plymouth bridge told to curb his 'dopey' antics
A PRANKSTER who dangled himself from a footbridge over a busy city road has been told to put a stop to his "dopey" antics.
Lee Bassett appeared at Plymouth Magistrates' Court yesterday to admit causing danger to road users.
The 30-year-old had to be rescued by emergency services when a drunken prank went wrong – and cost the taxpayer nearly £5,000.
The court heard how Bassett, who gave his address as Clifton Road in North Hill, lowered himself off a bridge over Gdynia Way in a harness as part of a bet with a friend.
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Bassett's friend, however, was not able to lift him back up, leaving him dangling dangerously over the road on the approach to Cattedown Roundabout.
The defendant confessed to police at the time that he "had had a few jars" and "did it for a dare".
Magistrates gave him a 12-month community order with a supervision requirement, and ordered he do 200 hours of unpaid work.
The court heard how this was not the first time Bassett had been involved in a similar prank. He once had to be rescued by emergency services after attempting to swim across the River Tamar while under the influence of alcohol, magistrates heard.
Sentencing Bassett, magistrate chair Helen Harris said: "I might expect to hear this type of case in youth court but not in an adult court.
"Please stop being dopey," She told him.
"At your age that kind of prank really is not acceptable."
The police were called to Gdynia Way at 9.55pm on January 24 after reports of slow-moving traffic because of a dangling body, the court heard. Officers closed the road, initially suspecting it could have been a dead body.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) told the court how an ambulance and fire engine were called to the scene to help rescue Bassett from the bridge, costing the taxpayer £4,875.
Magistrates heard that the operation to rescue Bassett cost police £1,800, the ambulance service £675 and the fire service £2,400.
The CPS had asked for compensation to be demanded for the cost to the public purse.
But Mrs Harris declined to order compensation "due to the fact that the defendant still has money owing to the court."
Bassett, wearing a grey hoodie and bearing neck tattoos, still owes £419 for an earlier actual bodily harm conviction in March 2011, the court heard, having paid £100 of the initial sum.
Alex Travers, for Bassett, said: "This was a wager between friends that went wrong. Unfortunately when the friend dropped him over the bridge his friend could not lift him back up.
"My client admitted it was a foolish incident. It was never his intention to cause trouble."
Bassett was also ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge which will be added to his outstanding court bill.
12 Comments
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by HermesThelema
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 12:49AM
“In the modern era it is best to notify the police in advance of any peaceful protest.”
by paulmh66
Tuesday, March 12 2013, 1:28PM
“OK, can someone explain how this cost 5k?
Surely the emergency services get paid whether called out or not, so how does this cost 5k?
It's like admin charges within certain banks/companies, it implies the admin staff are not being paid unless they are doing your admin. As this implies the emergency services are not getting paid unless "on the job". Utter nonsense. There was little or no extra cost to the tax payer as all services involved are being paid, on or off the job.”
by josdave
Tuesday, March 12 2013, 1:00PM
“The 30-year-old had to be rescued by emergency services when a drunken prank went wrong – and cost the taxpayer nearly £5,000
Should have made the idiot pay back all of the costs with interest. All that and nothing resembling punishment to show for it. He is laughing at the "system".”
by CharlieDodd
Tuesday, March 12 2013, 11:57AM
“That harness looks painful”
by OutsideView
Tuesday, March 12 2013, 10:55AM
“What a waste of the court time!
I suppose the poor box is empty otherwise they could have given him a contribution and a pat on the back!”
by jaygeek1
Tuesday, March 12 2013, 10:12AM
“Yokel tool acts a knob and gets off scot-free because he already owes money to the courts but can afford to have tattoos and get drunk !”
by pogle63a
Tuesday, March 12 2013, 10:09AM
“Pity really he would have made a brilliant Pinata, shame no one had a baseball bat!”
by plympaul
Tuesday, March 12 2013, 9:26AM
“a bet with a freind?? so if someone asked him to jump of a cliff he would jump??? what a silly boy i say!!”
by MrsT13
Tuesday, March 12 2013, 8:49AM
“Act your age not your shoe size.”
by PlymDavey
Tuesday, March 12 2013, 8:21AM
“So in March 2011 he was fined £519 for a previous 'foolish' conviction. In the last 2 years he's paid off just £100 of that fine - that's about 80p a week this tw*t has paid so you can see how little of a damn he gives about the consequences of his actions.
And because he still owes so much of this sum the court decides not to fine him for this latest 'dopey' act. Hardly a deterrant to stop this idiot doing something like this again is it?? I bet he's laughing at the feeble 'justice' handed out by the magistrate.”