South Tyneside teenager who fled police while drug driving caught with tyre stinger

Jack Robertson, 19, was spotted at the wheel of a Mercedes and tailed into the Brockley Whins estate on Wednesday, May 17.

Officers positioned tyre-shredding stingers, eventually trapping him in Galsworthy Road, Whiteleas, prosecutor Bushra Begum said.

A roadside drugs swipe showed Robertson, of Scott Court, Biddick Hall, was over the legal limit for cannabis and cocaine.

And a search of the car uncovered a pepper spray meant to be used only by police – and he was also driving without a licence or insurance.

Borough magistrates banned him from driving for 18 months and ordered he carry out unpaid work as part of a community order.

Mrs Begum said: “These offences arise out of an incident where the police sighted a vehicle being driven by this defendant.

“Upon seeing the police, he made off from them. They conducted a search to find him and they deployed stingers.

“They stopped the vehicle, spoke to the defendant and conducted a roadside drugs swipe, which was positive.

“He was arrested, and taken to a police station where a blood sample was taken. It was also noticed that he was driving without insurance and a licence.

“His vehicle was searched, and this is where the firearms offence happens. A container was found marked ‘Police’. It was a pepper spray.

“The drug driving is higher culpability due to the presence of two drugs, but there is no suggestion of unacceptable driving.

“He did drive away but it doesn’t seem to have been at speed. The offence is aggravated by the fact he had taken drugs and was not insured or licenced.”

Robertson pleaded guilty to two counts of drug driving, driving without insurance, driving without a licence and possession of a weapon for the discharge of a noxious substance.

His blood reading for cannabis derivative THC was 3.7mcg, against a legal limit of 2mcg.

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It was 249mcg for cocaine breakdown product BZE, with the legal limit being 50mcg.

Joanne Gatens, defending, said: “I think the spray offence shows immaturity. He didn’t know the severity of carrying such an item. He had just bought it.

“He tells me he’s stopped using cocaine but does still use cannabis. He had used cocaine sometime earlier, he hadn’t taken it and then got behind the wheel.”

Robertson’s 18-month community order carries 40 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation days. He must pay £114 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.