Jun 9, 2021

Drink driver caught for second time after travelling erratically at Silverlink Stephen Martin was pulled over near the North Tyneside retail park after a concerned member of public reported him driving south on the A1 at Stannington Get the latest North East news and updates delivered straight to your inbox Invalid EmailSomething went wrong, please try again later. Subscribe When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Your information will be used in accordance with our Privacy Notice. Thank you for subscribingWe have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice A drink driver was snared for the second time after being spotted travelling erratically near a Tyneside retail park. A concerned member of public rang police to report a possible intoxicated motorist in a BMW driving south on the A1 near Stannington, in Northumberland . Officer's located the vehicle at the Moore Farm Round, on the A19, and followed it as it travelled south towards the Silverlink, in North Shields , a court heard. Stephen Martin was behind the wheel of the car and he was watched as he drifted between lanes and repeatedly speeded up and slowed down, causing traffic behind to brake. The 37-year-old, who has a previous conviction for drink driving, was pulled over and initially claimed he'd only had one glass of wine but was later found to be over three times the limit. Martin, of Moreland Road, in South Shields , has now been banned from the roads for 42 months after he pleaded guilty to one count of driving with excess alcohol at North Tyneside Magistrates' Court. Clare Irving, prosecuting, said a member of public alerted police to the possibility of a drink driver travelling south on the A1 at Stannington on May 9 this year. Read More Martin's BMW was later spotted at the Moore Farm Roundabout and was followed. Ms Irving said: "As the officers watched, they saw the defendant drifting between lanes , speeding up and slowing down, causing vehicles to the rear to brake." The court heard that Martin was stopped and arrested and later gave a reading of 108 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath, when the legal limit is just 35. Sophie Allinson, defending, said Martin, whose previous conviction for drink driving dates back to 2018, had lost his job at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and had started drinking heavily as a result of "losing structure in his life". She added: "It's very apparent that this stems from a drinking problem that has got completely out of hand. "He held his hands up immediately. At that breath test reading level, most people are barely able to function, let alone drive a car. "He has no gained employment as an electrician, which starts on Monday." The court heard that Martin had taken steps to address his alcohol consumption but he still admitted to drinking on a daily basis. Giving him a 12-week community order, with a 12-week curfew between 8pm and 6am, chairing magistrate, Keith McIntosh, said: "From what we have heard, you have voluntarily applied for some help as you've got problems with alcohol, clearly. "At this stage, you're still drinking everyday. You were bordering on a custodial sentence but, given your mitigation and self-help, we have deviated away from that." Martin was also ordered to pay a £95 victim surcharge and £85 costs. FOLLOW US