Trainee nurse stopped by cops at more than twice the limit in South Shields because boyfriend had too much to drive

Mum-of-three Natalie Hillock, 29, jumped in her Nissan Note motor and journeyed from her home in Elberfeld Court, Jarrow, to South Shields.

But she gave the game away by failing to turn on her lights – leading police to tail her to the drop off point in Osborne Avenue on Friday, June 26.

Magistrates in South Tyneside heard Hillock appeared drunk and was breathalysed, producing a positive roadside alcohol reading.

Prosecutor Leanne Duffy said a sample of blood at a police station after her arrest confirmed she was well above the legal limit.

Hillock has now been disqualified from driving for 21 months by magistrates who described her state of intoxication as being at a “high level”.

Ms Duffy said: “The defendant was seen by police, driving from Jarrow towards South Shields with no lights on.

“Officers followed the defendant and indicated for her to stop. She stopped outside her passenger’s address.

“Her speech was slurred, and she appeared to be drunk. She gave a positive roadside breath test.

“She is a lady of good character and has no previous convictions.”

Hillock, who pleaded guilty to drink-driving, gave a reading of 203mgs of alcohol per 100mls of blood. The legal limit is 80mgs.

Jenni Coxon, defending, said: “Ms Hillock is extremely embarrassed to be here.

“She is extremely disappointed with herself. She is going to have to tell her children that she has lost her driving licence.

“She accepts that she had a large amount to drink. She was taking her boyfriend home – he had had a large amount to drink.

“It was a very silly decision. She fully accepts that what she did was wrong.”

Magistrates offered Hillock, who is in the final year of a three-year training course at Sunderland University, the chance to sit the Drink Impaired Drivers’ Programme.

The course allows some motorists convicted of drink-driving to reduce their ban by around a third on successful completion.

They also fined her £120 and she must pay £85 court costs and a £34 victim surcharge.

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