Illegal South Shields driver does runner after Boldon police chase

Craig Stevenson, 35, legged it after officers pursued his Mercedes into Stanley Street, Boldon Colliery, near midnight on Saturday, January 28 last year.

Stevenson, of George Scott Street, The Lawe, South Shields, was chased and caught but then “point blank” refused to be breath tested.

At the borough’s magistrates’ court, he was banned from driving for three years after pleading guilty to a string of motoring offences.

Prosecutor Chris Tame said: “At 11.55pm police attempted to stop a vehicle. The vehicle failed to stop and there was a short pursuit.

“It came into a dead end during the police chase. The driver then ran off but was caught and taken into custody.

“He was asked to give a sample of breath and he refused point blank. Cannabis was found in his coat.

“It was a deliberate refusal to provide and is a disqualification of 36 to 52 months, and there’s an application for the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs.”

Stevenson pleaded guilty to charges of failing to provide a sample for analysis and failing to stop for police.

He also admitted driving without insurance, driving without a licence and possession of class B drug cannabis.

The court was told he has a relevant motoring offence, such as drink or drug driving, within the past 10 years that makes a minimum three-year roads’ ban inevitable.

Addressing District Judge Zoe Passfield, Alastair Naismith, defending, said he would be happy for Stevenson to be given a fine rather than a harder hitting community order.

Judge Passfield told Stevenson said she would have sentenced him to a community order had his case come to court sooner after the offences, rather than 18 months later.

She fined him £200 for failing to provide a sample and £40 for cannabis possession, with no punishment on the other charges.

Stevenson must pay a £96 victim surcharge and £85 court costs, and the judge ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the cannabis.