Flat tyre leads police to discover South Tyneside woman’s drink-driving

Rianon Meah, 30, had planned to sleep at a friend’s but got behind the wheel after an incident while drinking in Newcastle caused her mental distress.

But she suffered a flat tyre on the southbound A1 dual carriageway at Gateshead while motoring to her abode in Manor Court, Westoe, South Shields.

Police patrolling on Monday, March 13, escorted her Toyota Aygo off the highway but they grew suspicious she had downed alcohol.

A blood sample taken after her arrest proved the administration assistant was almost twice the legal limit.

She is starting an 18-month roads’ ban after pleading guilty to a charge of driving with excess alcohol.

Prosecutor Paul Anderson told borough magistrates: “This young woman came to the attention of the police because she had suffered a puncture, a flat tyre.

“They pulled her over to a safe place. There was mouth alcohol and so they moved to blood. She was just under twice the limit.

“She is of previous good character. It’s a disqualification of between 17 and 22 months, it’s as simple as that.”

Meah gave a reading of 156mcg of alcohol in blood. The legal limit is 80mcg.

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David Forrester, defending, said: “It’s an unfortunate set of circumstances. She had been on a night out in Newcastle.

“She had left her car at a friend’s house and had got the Metro back from town.

“She was going to stay at her friend’s but a couple of incidents on the night impacted her mental state.

“You’ve heard there was a puncture. A disqualification is going to be an inconvenience for her. She works at Monkton in Jarrow, so it’s going to be the Metro or bus.”

Magistrates also fined Meah £400 and she must pay a £160 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.