Drink driver who crashed into gates of Prime Minister’s country estate jailed

A man who drove into the gates of the Prime Minister’s residence, Chequers, causing over £38,000 worth of damage, has been jailed.

On 25 June this year, shortly before the general election, Matthew Wootten, 44, was driving along Missenden Road, Aylesbury when, instead of following the bend in the road, he deliberately steered towards Victory Gate at the entrance to the Chequer’s estate.

Making no attempt to slow down, he smashed through the 80-year-old oak gates, significantly damaging them and seriously injuring himself.

Several cans of alcohol were discovered in Wootten’s car, and he was found to be almost three times over the drink drive limit with a blood alcohol reading of 221 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80mg.

Wootten ultimately pleaded guilty to charges of dangerous driving, damaging property being reckless as to whether life is endangered, and driving a motor vehicle when alcohol level above limit.

Celia Mardon, a Senior Crown Prosecutor with CPS Thames and Chiltern, said: “CCTV footage showed that Wootten intentionally drove at speed towards the gates of the Chequers estate.

“The strength of this evidence, along with a significantly high alcohol blood reading, gave him little choice but to admit his guilt to the charges we authorised against him.

“Not only did Wootten cause significant damage to the Victory Gate, but he could also have put the lives of others at risk with his reckless driving.”

He was sentenced on 30 October 2024 at Reading Crown Court to a total of 32 months' imprisonment. 

He was also handed a disqualification from driving for 40 months.