A blind man who has never held a driving licence was left stunned after he was arrested by the police for motoring offences. George Day - who lost his sight aged seven - was seized by police who thought he had committed a string of offences behind the wheel.
Despite telling police of his disability, he was ordered to appear before magistrates to prove his innocence. Mr Day, 50, from Birmingham, said he initially thought the arrest was a joke.
"A friend who I was staying with phoned me at work to say police were looking for me and had a warrant for my arrest to do with driving offences," he said. "I thought it was an April Fools joke at first." The father-of-one was blinded as a child after being hit on the head by a brick, which led to cataracts forming in his eyes.
Police said Mr Day, who works as switchboard operator at City College, Birmingham and a broadcaster for Aston FM radio station, had committed a driving offence on November 3 last year. They also claimed a fine that had been issued in his name remained outstanding.
He was ordered to attend magistrates court on Friday to make a statutory declaration that officers had got the wrong man. He had to find a solicitor, take time off work and make his own way back home from the hearing.
"When I got there they said I should be put in a cell because there was a warrant for my arrest and that's what would usually happen," he said. "Fortunately, the warrant officer realised that would be unfair and allowed me to wait with my solicitor. During the hearing I explained that it wasn't me who had committed the offences and that someone had obviously used my details. I had to sign a declaration to say I knew nothing about it. The court said that should be the end of the matter, but I didn't get an apology."
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