Former South Shields soldier gave police a fake name when he was caught driving while banned
A former soldier put himself in the firing line with police when he gave them a false name after being caught driving while banned in South Tyneside.
Lewis Shaw, 24, claimed he was called Dean Atkin when spoken to after being seen driving on the borough’s A185, near the Tyne Tunnel at Jarrow, on Friday, November 21.
Officers confirmed to Shaw the person of that identity was legally allowed to drive, but he then confessed he was not him moments later, a court heard.
Shaw, of Ferry Approach, South Shields, was banned from the roads for 18 months for drug driving just three months earlier, on Wednesday, August 27.
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Prosecutor Emily Hunt told magistrates in South Tyneside: “Officers were on duty on mobile patrol when their attention was drawn to the driver of a red Audi.
“They followed the vehicle to Morrisons at the Viking Centre. The driver said his name was Dean Atkin and was asked if it was his car.
“He said that it was his partner’s vehicle but checks showed that no person of that name was on the insurance policy. He then identified himself.
“His only conviction was for drug driving in August. This latest offence is high culpability as he drove shortly after he was disqualified.
“This offence was in November and is aggravated by him giving false details.”
Shaw pleaded guilty to charges of driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.
Annalisa Moscardini, defending, said: “He was disqualified in August this year for two drug driving, which was cocaine and its breakdown product.
“He tells me that at the time of that offence, he had just returned from a serving period with the army in Germany and was in a toxic relationship.
“He then told the army about that and was dismissed from the army because of that conviction.
“He’s just passed his exam to work on the railways. When he was stopped by the police, he was on route to his final exam for that.
“He couldn’t think how he was going to get there. He gave a false name and was told he was not a disqualified driver, but he said that he was.”
Magistrates handed Shaw a 12-month driving ban which will run concurrently to his existing disqualification, and fined him £500, with a £192 victim surcharge and £85 court