Judge slams 'rude' drink-driver caught in South Shields who cost taxpayers 'significantly' by 'dragging out' case

District Judge Kathryn Meek told Adam Mulcahy, 33, he had cost taxpayers dearly by forcing prosecutors to prepare a case against him.

And she also accused him of being “rude” and “truculent” when he appeared before her during a first appearance at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court in December.

At that hearing, he had refused to answer her questions and had denied the charge, she told the court.

Mulcahy, a car parts refurbisher, of Lecondale Court, off Leam Lane, Gateshead, has now been banned from the roads for 20 months and hit with fines and court costs of over £1,000 for his crime.

During a new hearing at the same court, prosecutor Lorna Rimell said he was caught near Crossgate, South Shields, on November 23.

She added: “Police receive a report of a possible drink-driver.

“While they are waiting at traffic lights, they see the defendant drive past in the opposite direction. He was stopped without issue.”

He gave a breathalyser reading of 88mcgs of alcohol per 100mls of breath. The legal limit is 35mcgs.

Mulcahy, who represented himself in court, told Judge Meek: “I’m sorry for doing it. It was a daft mistake. It’s cost me my job.

“I shouldn’t have done it, I shouldn’t have got in my car. I didn’t know that I was over the limit, but I knew that I shouldn’t have been doing it.”

Of denying the charge, he added: “I didn’t think I’d been treated fairly.”

District Judge Meek fined Mulcahy, who has no previous convictions, £600 with £400 court costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

She told him: “You’ve managed to drag this out for six months, all at great public expense.

“You have cost the taxpayer a significant amount of money that didn’t have to be expended, and you’ve remained driving when you shouldn’t have.

“I don’t want to meet you again, Mr Mulcahy. Think on if you are back in court about how you conduct the proceedings.”