Car drifting: Man’s jail term upheld

Manama

 A man, who drifted his car at the General Directorate of Traffic, has had his jail term upheld.  The Bahraini convict was sentenced earlier to two months in jail for performing a drift show inside the directorate's premises in Isa Town.

 According to court files, he stated that he had decided to send himself to jail deliberately as a 'punishment' for his 'stupidity' for going to the directorate on the weekend. The defendant reportedly went to the directorate to sort out some issues, but when he was nearing it, he realised that it was closed as it was Friday. 

 He didn't simply take a U-turn and returned home, as he decided to inflict a penalty on himself as retribution for his 'stupidity'. 

 He reportedly barged into the building skipping all the barricades before pulling up the handbrake for a 360 degree car-spin. It was discovered later that he was under influence of alcohol also.

 "I was very upset to learn that it was a Friday when I was very close to the directorate at 12pm. I didn't find any solution to scratch off my sadness except punishing myself by going to jail to atone for my stupidity," the defendant said in his statement. "Therefore I decided to drift the car and later surrender myself. I saw police officers standing in the gate, but I ignored them as I steered my Honda inside the property. I made a few drifts." 

 The defendant also rammed two parked police jeeps as he was attempting to stop his car and surrender himself. Court files indicated that the car, which he was driving, belonged to his brother. Investigators then learned by checking his criminal record that he was previously arrested over offences of driving without a license and car drifting in public areas. 

 He was earlier sent to a psychology centre to ascertain his mental health, but results confirmed that he wasn't mentally ill.