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Wednesday 20 September 2017

Pisshead TV Licensing Goon Drink Drive Ban


A Northern Ireland-based TV Licensing goon has been banned from driving after being caught behind the wheel whilst unfit through drink.

John Marcus Rodgers, 39, of Reaville Park in Belfast, was carrying out enforcement visits on the Isle of Man at the time of his offence. He is shown above enjoying a pint in the lounge of TV Licensing's favourite Manx hotel (see him on YouTube here).

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes, sitting at Douglas Courthouse, heard how an off-duty police officer (entirely by coincidence) spotted Rodgers, who was clearly the worse for wear, getting into a white Ford Focus outside the town's Tesco store at 11.30 pm on Monday night. Rodgers' breath smelt heavily of alcohol when he walked past the officer, who alerted his colleagues to the situation. Rodgers drove off and was stopped by uniformed officers a short time later on Athol Street.

The court was told that Rodgers had attempted to delay taking a roadside breath test (a TV Licensing goon trying to conceal evidence - who'd have thought it?) Later, at police headquarters, he provided a specimen of breath containing 65 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, which is almost twice the legal limit.



Rodgers pleaded with the court not to impose a driving ban as it would mean the loss of his job as a TV Licensing pariah. The judge was unsympathetic to the gobby goon's plight. She banned him from driving for two years, fined him £900 and ordered him to pay £125 towards prosecution costs. Rodgers was warned that unless he made payment "forthwith" he would face 60 days in prison. The driving ban applies in the Isle of Man, Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

TV Licensing doesn't have much luck during its visits to the Isle of Man. It has previously had cars vandalised and stationery stolen. This time, by some spooky coincidence, an off-duty police officer just happened to be in the right place at the right time when a pissed up goon jumped into his car.

It's a small place the Isle of Man. We don't believe in coincidences and neither should TV Licensing.

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Edit (22/9/17): We have made minor corrections to this article and brushed up the language used. An article about Rodgers' conviction has now appeared on the BBC News website. Notice how the BBC claim he was off-duty at the time, but fails to mention the fact he was only on the Island because he was carrying out TV Licensing visits. According to our reliable local sources, he was also driving his TV Licensing hire car at the time of his offence.

7 comments:

Fred Bear said...

From a TVL178 to a P45 with the stroke of a pen. Such a shame. Especially with Capita having problems with retaining TVL staff.

Anonymous said...

He should have been banned from driving for life. He's an irresponsible and selfish alcoholic who is a threat to any road user. He could have killed someone.

Bureaucrat said...

"Rodgers pleaded with the court not to impose a driving ban as it would mean the loss of his job as a TV Licensing pariah."

I never have sympathy with anyone who uses that excuse in court. If his job was that important to him he could have walked home or taken a taxi. Perhaps he'll take the opportunity to reflect on his life choices and get a real job

Anonymous said...

The man is a cock. If he cared about his job he wouldn't be hitting the road when he was pissed. Selfish and irresponsible as a previous commentator mentioned.

Fred Bear said...

Some more details of the case at:
http://www.iomtoday.co.im/article.cfm?id=36089&headline=TV%20licensing%20inspector%20likely%20to%20lose%20job%20after%20appearing%20in%20court&sectionIs=News&searchyear=2017

Anonymous said...

HA...For a guy who spends all week warning people they are being questioned under caution .the right to remain silent etc .Imagine his horror at having the same treatment by real "officers" at the roadside knowing he was guilty

Fred Bear said...

I wonder if BBC/Capita are going to go ahead with prosecutions based on information gathered by this character?