Ex-soldier banned from driving after South Shields CCTV operators alerted police who arrested him nearby

Shaun Maddison, 28, was spotted by staff based within South Shields Town Hall, driving his blue Ford Fiesta in Westoe Road on Saturday, September 12.

Police were tipped off and Maddison, of Grays Walk, Biddick Hall, South Shields, was followed and stopped soon after in Wharton Street.

He was arrested without a roadside breath test being offered – but refused to give a breath sample at a police station, a court heard.

The ex-squaddie had now been banned from driving for 16 months and ordered to pay court costs and fines of £239.

Prosecutor Stephen Davies told magistrates in South Tyneside: “Police receive a report from South Shields local authority.

“They referred officers to what they see on camera. As a result, they were looking out for a vehicle being driven by Mr Maddison in Westoe Road.

“They followed the vehicle that he was driving and activated their blue lights and sirens in Wharton Street.

“They could smell drink on his breath but didn’t get him to provide a specimen.

“He was arrested for drink-driving and was provided with the CAMIC machine, but would not provide a sample of breath.”

Val Bell, defending, said: “What’s happened is that he should not have been driving the vehicle.

“The police approach the vehicle and take the keys. He is not offered a roadside test, he is just arrested straight away.

“He says he will comply with the CAMIC procedure but changes his mind. It was a stupid decision. He clearly made the wrong choice.

“There are no statutory aggravating factors, and there’s no evidence of unacceptable standards of driving.

“I don’t know why they’ve picked him up on the camera, there’s no evidence that his driving was at fault.

“He is currently unemployed, but he is ex-Army, he served for five years.”

Trainee offshore worker Maddison pleaded guilty to failing to provide a sample for analysis.

He was fined £120 and must pay £85 court costs and a £34 victim surcharge.