Ex-minister faces another booze charge
Former education minister, Rolston Anglin (Photo by Dennie Warren Jr)
(CNS): The former education minister and deputy premier, Rolston Anglin, has been convicted of another booze-related offence behind the wheel. Anglin was banned for 15 months and given a $650 fine after he pleaded guilty to being in charge of vehicle while intoxicated. The court heard that he was found by police near Fidelity Financial Centre and the Galleria Shopping Plaza in his car, with the engine running, up against the curb blocking the roadway last September.
It was not clear if the former politician had been involved in any collision but he was uninjured and there was no damage to the Honda Accord he appeared to have been driving or anything around the area when the police came across him at around 11pm. His blood alcohol level was 0.159, when the legal limit is just 0.100.
With a previous conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol when he was education minister after a collision on the West Bay Road in May 2012, the magistrate upped the fine from $500, which was the penalty for his previous offence, to $650 and extended the one year driving ban by three months.
Anglin’s attorney told the court that his client was diagnosed with sleep apnea, which causes excessive drowsiness if not addressed properly.
The former UDP minister lost the West Bay Seat he had held for 12 years in the 2013 election after the no confidence vote in the former premier, McKeeva Bush, divided the party. Anglin ran on the PNA ticket with his district colleague Cline Glidden, the former Bodden Town MLAs Mark Scotland and Dwayne Seymour, as well as the now Speaker Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, the only one of the five to retain her seat in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.
Anyone who knows Rolston knows that he is a high energy individual. He got that trait from his late grand-father who was originally from Jamaica and was commonly know as Mr. Black Philip.
His grandfather was a district constable back in the early days who rode a horse around West Bay. He was a well known farmer who fed many hungry/starving people back in the 1930’s and 1940’s when things were really tough for all. He however, sowed his seed well in the district and the surname “ANGLIN” was actually established in the Cayman Islands by none other that Mr. Black Philip himself. He was a very kind man I’m told.
Rolston himself is an intelligent guy, who could hold most positions in government or the private sector, and do a darn good job; as any other expatriate or so called consultant. Rolston’s high energy causes him to sometimes live life in the fast lane – which is naturally in his DNA. Unless he is actively engaged in productive work, he tends to wander off the tracks easily. That is his weakness and every man, woman and child around the world, has a weakness or fault of some sort.
I do hope all the best for Rollie and his family. Everyone should understand that he is not a criminal, (DUI is not a criminal offense under the Penal Code) not a gambler, not a thief or a corrupt individual. Yes he drinks and can’t seem to handle it very well. Driving on the rode in that condition, is not only dangerous and unacceptable, but deserves punishment.
Think for a moment of the many great leaders around the world who did so much for their country and humanity but yet they all had their weaknesses and shortcomings:
John F. Kennedy, Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X, Ted Kennedy, Eliot Spitzer, President Lyndon Johnson and so many others…….. close and far.
From his behaviour, past history, and approach to the sentencing, the public are entitled to conclude the man is an active alcoholic who is unfit for public office.
What happened to the CIO and his drinking charges and leaving the scene of an accident
it will be 2 years this Christmas I guess they are waiting till the victim has to go home before he goes to court Nice place cayman is
Set an example: J A I L ! ! ! !
The standard I’ve seen down here for my expat friends who have been foolish enough to drink and drive is between $800 and $1,000 and minimum 12 month suspension for first offense….a crime is a crime no matter who commits it right?
Quote: “His blood alcohol level was 0.159, when the legal limit is just 0.100.” Just 0.100? The limit in UK is 0.70 and in almost all of Europe it’s 0.50. In fact 0.100 is the old US limit that was dropped many years ago when research showed it was way too high.
A BAC of 0.159 is not a couple of drinks – it’s a serious load on and should be treated as such. In fact it’s enough to make walking difficult let alone driving a car,
What a parasite of society – don’t understand why this reprobate isn’t in jail. A $650 fine and losing his licence for 15 months isn’t going to stop him driving as soon as he’s left the Court room.
Wow. I had a similar case, letter from counsellor verifying reform (lesson learned and abstinence from drinking) and the second charge was 3 years after the first. Top notch lawyer, 2 years suspended licence, along with community service. If I were a drinking man…..
Sleep apnea is a terrible disease that makes rocks jump out in front of cars in the middle of the night, mysterious women flee from cars after accidents and drunks get behind of wheels of cars when they have had too much to drink. Yes that is sleep apnea. Or is it liquor? No I am pretty sure that it is liquor that makes all those things happen. Sorry, sleep apnea only has anything to do with these events in a parallel universe or in the addled mind of alcoholic in denial who is looking for rationalization for his conduct.
Denial is not a river in Egypt.
Rolston get some help for whatever is ailing you my dear, whatever you are trying to drown away let it come out once and for all and get help.
After three months and you get a licence back could be a disaster if something is not done, this is a serious issue for your life and the lives of others, quite literally.
Get the help you need and make the decisions you obviously need to make.
You and me would end up in jail.
Mr. Anglin you are a disgrace for humanity.
What a total looooooooser!
The Cayman Islands will not miss an opportunity to reinforce current views and perceptions held elsewhere in the world.
Stay classy Cayman!
Great example for the “yoot “from the former Education Minister!
He only had his license back for 6 months before being done again for drunk driving! And he only get an additional 3 months suspension. Pathetic.
Since when does Sleep apnoea have anything to do with DRUNK DRIVING!!!! This is crazy..and the judge should have said so
and all he got was 15 months?? I thought second conviction was longer then an additional year????
Maybe he thought a few shots of booze would prevent apnea. I say let’s fine or imprison his attorney.
What about the Doctor that wrote the diagnosis of sleep apnea so that the lawyer could present that as a defense?
Which magistrate was this? No court ordered alcohol treatment plan on second conviction in 5 years?!? Something’s wrong here!
Just moved to Cayman I see.
Didn’t he find God after the last incident? Did he lose Him again?
Having played the God card, he resorted to quoting irrelevant medical conditions to try to evade responsibility for his criminality. Third time round he might be able to go back to God.
Third time round – blame it on bigger boys made him do it, or, try the sacred Wessel defence!
Don’t worry good people of Cayman, you are still paying his early drawn pension!
Third time he might kill an innocent person. Rolston get yourself some help. If for no other reason than you have a wife and kids you should be concerned about should you kill yourself or end up in jail next time.
His pathetic attempts to reduce his sentence indicate he has virtually no remorse or intention to change.
Those with apnea are advised not to drink. Those with alcohol dependence ignore that advice.
I don’t get it….does his sleep apnea cause him to get hammered and try to drive home?
His lawyer probably googled sleep apnea and saw it might be relevant to cases involving collisions. Those who have dozed off due to apnea are often thought by police to be drunk. But the condition has absolutely nothing to do with his being significantly over the limit. It seems a cowardly attempt to reduce his sentence.
It worked though!
Yes it worked?? Meanwhile, yesterday a driver got an adjournment for a driving offense in January and he still hasn’t faced the court for a DUI charge going back over 2 years. Bet you he is driving today. Just hope he doesn’t hurt anyone else.
Perhaps the lawyer’s spell correct changed “alcoholism” to “sleep apnea”?
A 15 month ban is a disgrace for a second offence.
Worse still the spineless drunk tried to weasel out by referring to sleep apnoea (the spelling in British English). However sleep apnoea is a reason for Anglin to be MORE careful about drink driving as drink will have more of an effect on his alertness than normal people. His medical status should therefore have been considered an aggravating factor not a basis for mitigation. Apnoea has not effect on blood alcohol levels.
What is notable is that there seemed to be no evidence of apology or willingness to address his problems with alcohol. Here is a tip Mr Anglin – those with multiple convictions for DUI in a short period have an alcohol problem, get over any denial before your selfishness hurts an innocent person.
Anglin is clearly unfit for public office as things stand. Only the selfish commit DUI. Only the selfish, arrogant drunks commit it twice in two years.
He’s only been caught twice. There were also the three different versions of events in 2012 with mystery Westin woman, and also a “minor crash” in 2010 (UDP rennaissance) where he nodded off at the wheel at 1am and crashed into a rock. It required him to cancel his official appointments the next day:
http://www.cayman27.com.ky/2010/08/26/minister-misses-teacher-conference-because-of-minor-car-crash
Wouldn’t “stupid” be more apt than selfish?
Not at all. Driving drunk is one of the most selfish things a person can do. They put innocent people at risk for their laziness and greed.
If you are going to any event, lunch, dinner etc where there will be alcohol, just take a taxi. That way you don’t have to make a ‘decision’ at the end of the night, and worry about picking up your car the next day.
There is also a service you can all for someone to pick you up and drive your car home.