Banned driver showed "little understanding of the consequences" when caught behind wheel in South Shields

A retired butcher who put his head on the chopping block by driving while banned and uninsured in South Tyneside has been spared jail.

Martin Auty, 72, of Eglesfield Road, Chichester, South Shields, was handed a 12-week suspended prison term and warned of the consequences should he reoffend.

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Borough magistrates told the convicted drink driver he was bereft of remorse and appeared to have little understanding of his criminality.

Auty was pulled over by police while at the wheel of his daughter’s car while motoring in South Eldon Street, Laygate, South Shields at 11.40am on Tuesday, July 11.

Data checks showed he had been disqualified from the roads for 14 months in February for driving with excess alcohol.

He later claimed he had driven only to escape the attention of yobs in a park who had hassled him as he walked his dog.

But he failed to mention their alleged threats to police at the roadside - and then declined to be interviewed by them after his arrest.

Auty pleaded not guilty to charges of driving while banned and driving without insurance but was convicted in his absence when he failed to attend his trial.

At his sentencing hearing, prosecutor Glenda Beck said: “Officers on mobile patrol had their attention drawn to a Ford Fiesta.

“They conducted checks on the police national computer which showed insurance on the car was for a female only, but a male was driving.

“They caused the vehicle to stop and spoke to the driver who identified himself.

“He was asked if he had insurance and he said that he didn’t. He was also found to be a disqualified driver. He declined to be interviewed.”

The Probation Service told the court Auty had shown little understanding of the consequences of his actions during its pre-sentence interview.

A spokesman said he claimed to have been hassled during a dog walk and had got into his daughter’s car, whose keys were in his pocket.

He confirmed Auty had not called for help from passers-by and did not mention his claim of yobs to police.

And he said any regret shown by the defendant was due to him being caught rather than through genuine contrition.

Geoffrey Forrester, defending, said Auty’s crime was suitable to be dealt with by way of a high-level community order.

Mr Forrester said he could offer little mitigation on the driving matters due to Auty being found guilty.

Magistrates suspended Auty’s prison sentence for 12 months, banned him from driving afresh for 13 months and ordered he pay £300 court costs and a £154 victim surcharge.

At the same hearing he pleaded guilty to failing to surrender to custody on Friday, December 1, having got his attendance days mixed up, but received no added punishment.