Jab phobia fails to save Dempster

NIGEL DEMPSTER, the gossip columnist, was found guilty of drink- driving yesterday, after he had told a court that giving blood was like "legalised vampirism".

Dempster, 56, had drunk two pints of orange juice at a party at his wife's house last October, but was unaware that the drinks had been spiked with vodka, a court heard.

The Daily Mail columnist, who based his defence on the phobia blood-injury syndrome, told West London Magistrates' Court that a phobia of needles stopped him giving police a blood sample after he had been stopped by police in Hammersmith, west London.

Under cross examination in court, he referred to giving blood as "legalised vampirism".

After being breath-tested by police, Dempster refused to give a blood sample, saying that he had suffered from a phobia since he was a teenager.

Describing the scene outside Hammersmith police station, Dempster said: "There was a man naked from the waist up spewing blood everywhere.

"I am extremely wary of blood. I cannot stand the sight of blood. I was horrified. I was getting no sympathy from anyone."

He was sentenced to a 12-month ban, a pounds 250 fine and was ordered to pay pounds 300 costs. The penalties are suspended pending an appeal.

A later breath test showed a reading of 45mg per 100ml of blood, higher than the legal limit of 35mg.

Dempster earlier told how he had visited his wife's home in Richmond, west London for dinner on the night of 7 October last year. He said that he had played squash during the day and that the meal had made him thirsty.

He said: "I later discovered that the house had been frequented by young people. There had been some sort of a celebration. The orange juice had a certain amount of alcohol in it. Vodka has no smell or taste.

"It sells itself as having no smell or taste. I rushed it down because I was very thirsty."

Dempster told how he bundled four of his five dogs into his car to take them for a walk before he drove home to his house in Kensington.

Police stopped him because they had suspected him of speeding.