'Ruinous situation' - Self-employed South Tyneside sparky banned for hitting two parked cars while drunk
A South Tyneside driver has been banned after hitting two cars while over the drink-drive limit.
A self-employed South Tyneside electrician has lost the power to drive by being banned from the roads after crashing while over twice the alcohol limit.
Paul McKivitt, 37, clipped two parked vehicles as he drove his VW Caravelle van along Breamish Street, Jarrow, on Monday, April 20, a court heard.
He stayed at the scene and was pointed out by witnesses and arrested after failing a breath test, prosecutor Adam Scott said.
McKivitt, of Sherburn Grange North, near Monkton, Jarrow, is starting a 20-month road ban after pleading guilty to an excess alcohol charge before borough magistrates.
‘Multiple vehicle collision’
Mr Scott told the hearing: “Police received a report of a multiple vehicle collision in Breamish Street in Jarrow.
“They attended and were directed to the defendant as the person who had caused the collision. He was parked nearby.
“They thought that he was unfit to drive through drink or drugs. A breath test was failed, and he was taken into custody.
“A police station CAMIC breath test was undertaken, and it showed 78mcg. The legal limit is 35mcg.
“By virtue of his guilty plea, he does lose his good character, he doesn’t have any previous convictions.
“It’s a disqualification of between 17 and 22 months. I would say the offence is aggravated by him being involved in a collision.”
‘Ruinous situation’
David Forrester, defending, said: “He was interviewed by police and made immediate admissions. It is quite a ruinous situation for him.
“The van was a works’ van, he is a self-employed electrician and won’t be working as he won’t have access to a van to drive.
“The van was parked outside his girlfriend’s, and he can’t contemplate why he walked back to his girlfriend’s to get the van.
“It’s right that he bumped some vehicles in Breamish Street. He says that he was dazed after the collision.
“It was glancing blows to a couple of parked cars, it was not head on. He tells me that he hasn’t been working much anyway in the last few months.
“He gets credit for his remorse, and he gets credit for having no previous convictions.”
Magistrates also fined McKivitt £120 and ordered him to pay £85 court costs and a £48 victim surcharge.