Eighth, ninth drunk driving conviction lands man in jail
Gwich'in Tribal Council prepares members for decisions to come
Sarah Ladik
Northern News Services
Thursday, March 31, 2016
INUVIK
John William Gully, 65, was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment and five years of driving prohibition for his latest drunk-driving related offences.
"This is one of the worst records for drinking and driving this court has ever seen," said Judge Michel Bourassa in Inuvik territorial court March 22, adding that Gully has seven convictions dating back to the 1970s. The most recent offences bring the tally up to nine convictions.
"The sheer number of convictions calls for a severe penalty."
Police charged Gully with impaired driving and impaired care and control of a vehicle in 2013, to which he plead guilty.
Gully had been found behind the wheel of his vehicle stopped on the side of the road but with the keys in the ignition, in Tuktoyaktuk.
Police said he had glassy eyes and slurred speech.
"He's not a bad man, not an evil man," the judge said.
"But it's a miracle he hasn't hit someone, with all the convictions over the years."
Defence attorney Peter Harte argued that despite the record for drunk driving, Gully did not have any other serious convictions and has been employed for the past 30 years as a welder. Harte also said that Gully is a residential school survivor and has not touched alcohol since the incident in question.
Still, Bourassa was not swayed. He noted Gully has faced fines big and small, as well as driving prohibitions and jail time before.
"Your drinking and driving is going to kill someone," he told Gully.
"You're not a bad man but you're a drunk driver. You don't have to be a bad man to kill someone, you just have to be drinking and driving."
