Pregnant South Tyneside motorist stole vehicle to bag late night pizza

A peckish South Tyneside mum without a driving licence pinched her dad’s car to pop with a pal for a midnight pizza, a court heard.
Pregnant Hannah Spowart, 18, of Copley Avenue, Whiteleas, swiped the keys to the Kia Rio and sped off in the direction of her favourite take-away.Pregnant Hannah Spowart, 18, of Copley Avenue, Whiteleas, swiped the keys to the Kia Rio and sped off in the direction of her favourite take-away.
Pregnant Hannah Spowart, 18, of Copley Avenue, Whiteleas, swiped the keys to the Kia Rio and sped off in the direction of her favourite take-away.

Pregnant Hannah Spowart, 18, of Copley Avenue, Whiteleas, swiped the keys to the Kia Rio and sped off in the direction of her favourite take-away.

But police spotted her driving on the Coast Road at South Shields and pulled her over outside the town’s Gypsies Green sports site on Monday, October 10.

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She admitted to officers she did not have her dad’s permission to drive – and also confessed to having never passed a roads’ test.

Borough magistrates heard her father, who could have been prosecuted had he given her permission to drive, confirmed she had stolen his motor but did not want her taken to court.

Prosecutor Emma O’Hegarty said: “A police officer states that at 12.15am he noticed a Kia being driven erratically.

“He followed as it drove in a westerly direction for a short while. The driver initially pulled over when required.

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“But she then carried on to the entrance of Gypsies Green. The officer was surprised to see such a young-looking female in the driver’s seat.

“She was asked if she had a licence and she said, ‘I don’t have a licence, it’s my dad’s car’. Another person was in the car.

“It’s lower culpability but greater harm due to her carrying a passenger. She has no previous convictions or cautions.”

Spowart pleaded guilty to taking a vehicle without consent, driving without insurance and driving without a licence.

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Ian Cassidy, defending, said: “Hannah is 18 and has an 11-month-old daughter and a second child is on the way. She lives with her parents.

“She says that her friend was there and there had been an argument earlier that day amongst the family.

“In a moment of madness, she went with her friend to get a pizza, it was a 10-minute ride, but the police saw her.

“She recognises it was a foolish decision. She is someone who has made one mistake in her life.

“Her dad said that he didn’t want her prosecuted for this, but the police charged her.”

Spowart was fined £120 and handed six penalty points and must pay £85 court costs and a £48 victim surcharge.