South Shields man caught three times over the drink-drive limit while keeping warm in his car
A South Tyneside man caught at three times the drink drive limit while keeping warm in his car on the winter's day he was made homeless has been banned from the roads.
Simon Gibb, 54, was in the driver’s seat and had the engine of his parked Vauxhall Mokka motor running when police came calling on Thursday, February 5.
On the passenger seat next to Gibb, of Beach Road, central South Shields, was a bottle of red wine, prosecutor Clare Haswell said.
He had turned up at his former girlfriend’s home in Brunswick Street, near Laygate, also South Shields, to ask if he could get shelter – a request refused.
She then told police he had appeared drunk and had possibly driven, South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court was told.
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Ms Haswell said: “There was a radio message, requesting officers attend Brunswick Street, after a report of trouble with a male.
“A female stated that her ex-partner had attended her address, and he was intoxicated and believed that he had driven off in a Vauxhall Mokka while under the influence of alcohol.
“Officers found the vehicle, which had its engine on. They turned the engine off.
“He was sitting in the driver’s seat and a bottle of red wine was on the passenger seat. He gave a positive roadside reading and was taken into custody.”
Gibb was not seen driving and pleaded guilty to being in charge of a motor vehicle while over the alcohol limit, a crime which carries a penalty of a six-month driving ban or 10 penalty points.
He gave a reading for alcohol in breath at the roadside of 91mcg, which had jumped to 107mcg by the time of an evidential reading after his arrest. The legal limit is 35mcg.
James Rickerby, defending, said Gibb was engaging with support around alcohol and mental health issues, adding: ‘That’s really the facts behind this offence.
“He has had quite a severe problem with alcohol since 2019 and the death of his father.
“He became homeless on the day of this offence. He went around to his ex-partner’s address but wasn’t able to stay with her.
“He went to his car and had the engine running to keep warm. He wants to make changes because he can’t carry on like this.”
District Judge Zoe Passfield banned Gibb, who is in employment, from driving for six months and fined him £120, with £85 court costs and a £48 victim surcharge.
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