Serial drink-driver John Molseed back on road again despite life ban

Jan 11 2009 Words: Emma Smith

A SERIAL drink driver who risked the lives of 38 children in a school bus is back behind the wheel.

John Molseed was banned for life and jailed after being caught drunk while taking pupils on a coach trip to the seaside.

But last week we spotted the 43-year-old driving a van for his locksmith business in Gourock, Renfrewshire.

Molseed insists he was given his licence back after an appeal but the Crown Office say they have no record of it.

A concerned local dad said: "It's shocking that a person with as bad a record as his should be anywhere near the public roads."

We watched Molseed driving the white van bearing the Inverclyde Locksmith logo several times on Hogmanay. At one point Molseed even had a child with him.

Ten years ago he was banned from driving for life after being caught more than twice the drink-drive limit on the school trip.

Recovering alcoholic Molseed was already serving an eight-year ban for drink driving when he took the children from Bonhill Primary School, Dunbartonshire, to Largs.

He had used a false name - John Paterson - to obtain a driving licence and land the job with a coach firm.

His bosses had no idea he had five previous convictions for drink driving and three for driving while disqualified.

He was arrested when two offduty policemen, on the trip as helpers, thought they saw him falling asleep at the wheel.

He was jailed for two-and-a-half years and his case prompted calls for a tightening of the system.

At the time Sheriff David Smith said: "This was horrifying. You were driving while drunk and disqualified and you were responsible for 38 children, not to mention the staff and other adults."

When we confronted Molseed last week he claimed the ban had been lifted and he had been given his licence back in April 2007.

The Crown Office have records of an attempt to have the ban overturned at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court that month but it failed.

Then Molseed claimed he had been sober for seven years and needed to drive for his locksmith job.

But the ban stayed in place after the court heard that since the 1998 ban, Molseed had been found drunk and incapable by the police. The Crown Office said: "We have no record of this man having his licence returned."

Molseed refused to hand over his licence for scrutiny.

Holding up a document, he said: "Look at that - a brand spanking new licence. You lot should treat people with more decency. I'm just trying to make an honest living."

Strathclyde Police said: "We will investigate any allegation of persons driving when disqualified."

Margaret Dekker of the Scottish Campaign Against Irresponsible Drivers said: "When someone is disqualified there are no checks on them. It is up to the individual to honour the ban."

Pictures: TOM ROSS

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