A Belgian police judge has sentenced Flemish TV personality Tom Waes to a 3-month driving ban, partly suspended, an obligatory alcohol lock in his vehicle for a year, a fine and a resit of his driving tests. Waes was not present at the verdict and can still appeal.
‘The facts are serious. The accused put not only himself but also other road users in great danger’ the judge said in his verdict.
Waes now knows his punishment for the accident he caused late last year. At high speed, he collided with a crash barrier near the Kennedy tunnel in Antwerp. How fast he was driving could not be ascertained. But he had drunk too much: he had 2.44 per mil alcohol in his blood. That’s far above the permissible limit of 0.5.
The court convicted Waes for unintentional GBH and inflicting injuries in traffic, colliding with a foreseeable obstacle (the collision absorber), driving under the influence of alcohol and not wearing a seat belt.
He receives a three-month driving ban, one month of which is suspended. Waes must also retake his four driving tests - the theoretical, practical, medical and psychological. He was also fined €2,560. He will also have to use an alcohol lock in his vehicle for the period of one year.