Motorist crashed into a popular South Shields pub before fleeing the scene
A seemingly drunk South Tyneside van driver who crashed into a pub and then moved to punch a witness who gave chase has been spared jail.
Jonathan Turbitt, 45, fled on foot after smashing a white and orange Ford motor into the Chichester Arms pub in Chichester Road, South Shields.
A drinker set off in pursuit and caught up with Turbitt, of Summerhill Road, near Harton, South Shields, around 500m away.
The offender raised his fist as if to strike but fell over in a heap outside The County pub in Wood Terrace.
Turbitt then became hostile to police when they arrived, prosecutor Marcus Blakelock told the borough’s magistrates’ court.
After his arrest, his offending continued - and he spat on an officer’s stab vest through the hatch of a cell – then refused to be breathalysed.
Turbitt pleaded guilty to charges of failing to stop after an accident, common assault, assault by beating of an emergency worker and failing to provide a specimen.
District Judge Zoe Passfied jailed him for a total of 20 weeks, a sentence she suspended for 12 months – and ordered him to steer clear of alcohol for 100 days.
Mr Blakelock said: “Police were informed by a witness that a van had crashed into the Chichester pub, and that the driver had fled on foot.
“One witness was on the phone to another witness who had seen the crash and was following the driver, and the information was relayed to the police.
“The witness followed the defendant to Wood Terrace and outside The County pub.
“Prior to his arrest, he had raised his fist to the witness. He raised his arms and his fist to move in but had fallen on the floor.
“Police arrived to arrest him, he was leaning against a wall and appeared intoxicated.
“He refused to provide a roadside breath test, and he became hostile to the police and the public.
“He was taken to Southwick police station and spat saliva at an officer through the open hatch while in a cell.”
Turbitt has two previous convictions from three offences, the last in 2016 for unrelated matters.
Geoffrey Forrester, defending, told Judge Passfield: “It’s in any view disgraceful behaviour.
“If you were minded to send him to prison today, he could have no objections. He is currently suspended from work.”
Judge Passfield jailed Turbitt for 12 weeks for his spit attack on the policeman.
She also jailed him for eight consecutive weeks for failing to provide a sample for analysis and to four concurrent weeks for failing to stop after an accident.
The judge suspended all sentences for a year.
She also ordered him to pay compensation of £100 to the crash witness for the common assault and the same to the policeman.
Turbitt must undergo 100 days of alcohol abstinence and 16 rehabilitation days, and he was banned from driving for 30 months.
Judge Passfield told him his behaviour had been “absolutely appalling” and had been caused by booze.
She said she had suspended the sentence “in the hope that it will lead to a reduction in your alcohol intake.”