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Dominic Cummings would have been sent home if stopped, says ex-police chief as doctors warn against driving to test sight

‘I think it may well be that absolutely he’d have been turned back, as many other people were turned back from things that they were doing’

Chiara Giordano
Tuesday 26 May 2020 10:59 BST
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Dominic Cummings says he left Durham self-isolation to drive to Barnard Castle to 'test his eyesight'

A former top cop has said Dominic Cummings would likely have been sent home if he had been stopped on his way to Durham, while doctors have warned people against driving to test their eyesight.

Former Greater Manchester Police chief constable Sir Peter Fahy said he believed the prime minister’s most senior adviser would have been turned back if police had pulled him over during the drive from London to his family in the North East.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I think at that point, in terms of what was the understanding of the regulations and the government messaging, I think it may well be that absolutely he’d have been turned back, as many other people were turned back from things that they were doing.”

Sir Peter told the programme officers are “frustrated” by the case involving Mr Cummings, and that it is difficult to see the police’s role in controlling the UK-wide lockdown.

“There’s a lot of confusion and it feels like there’s quite a gap between the public narrative and narrative of ministers about the lockdown and what’s happening on the street,” he said.

“I think it’s quite hard to see the role the police have in the future — the rules about the reasons for travel are now very confused, when you see the crowds on Bournemouth and Southend beaches and other places yesterday it’s hard to see what role the police have in trying to control that.”

Mr Cummings has faced calls to resign after it emerged he drove 260 miles from his home in north London to a family property in County Durham in March, when he and his wife were showing symptoms of Covid-19.

The prime minister’s chief aide defended his actions during a press conference in Number 10 Downing Street’s garden on Monday, insisting he made the trip during the lockdown over fears of a lack of childcare if he became too ill with Covid-19 to look after his young son.

Controversy has surrounded public sightings of Mr Cummings in the Teesdale town of Barnard Castle, about 30 miles away from where he had been staying, on 12 April — which coincided with Easter Sunday, and his wife’s birthday.

Mr Cummings on Monday claimed he and his family had visited the popular tourist spot not for sightseeing reasons, but to test his eyesight because it had been affected by the disease and he did not want to risk the long journey back to London without trying a shorter journey first.

However Sir Peter said it was difficult to see how the trip could be justified.

He said: “Clearly, number one, that’s ill-advised as a means of testing your eyesight as to whether you’re fit to drive, but again it’s hard to see — unless there’s some justification that that was to take daily exercise — how that was justified.”

Sir Peter Fahy, former Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, speaking during a press conference in September 2012.

Asked if it was a criminal offence, Sir Peter replied: “It certainly appears to be against the Highway Code, it’s not the way to test your eyesight, and put potentially other people in danger.”

Mr Cummings’ comments during Monday’s press conference prompted John Apter, chairman of the Police Federation, to warn people against driving with impaired eyesight.

He tweeted: “Folks, I say this in all sincerity and as an important road safety issue. If you’re feeling unwell and your eyesight may be impaired do not drive your vehicle to test your ability to drive. It’s not a wise move.

“As a former road death investigator with Hampshire police I have investigated many serious collisions, including fatalities. Some of these were caused by drivers with impaired vision, this is a serious issue. Do not drive if your eyesight is impaired or you feel unwell.”

A number of doctors also waded in to offer their advice, including Dr David Wrigley, vice chair of the British Medical Association, who tweeted: “As a doctor I would like to advise those reading this tweet that if you have problems with your eyesight my professional advice is NOT to drive your car for half an hour to see if you can manage a longer journey.”

Danish Ashraf, an SNP councillor and optician, wrote: “As a qualified, registered and practicing optician I can confirm you should *not* drive if you feel your vision is below the standard. Things I never thought I’d need to say.”

While in Suffolk, an optician practice wrote: “Professional advice — Please DO NOT drive to Framingham castle to check your vision! We are closed but are available to offer any help or advice you may require and are seeing patients when necessary with PPE.”

Additional reporting by Press Association.

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