Drink driver banned after crashing car in Jarrow trying to reach injured wife
Motorist fined £846 and hit with £338 victim surcharge and £85 court costs after he drove while almost three times the drink drive limit.
A car firm worker who crashed while drunk in South Tyneside after driving to be with his injured wife has been banned from the roads.
Matthew Jobb, 43, ran a red light on a slip road of the A19 dual carriageway at Jarrow and collided with another vehicle at 5pm on Wednesday, August 26.
But Jobb, of Denewood, Murton, Co Durham, did not stop and drove for 15 minutes with his victim in pursuit, the borough’s magistrates’ court heard.
He smelled of booze when he came to a standstill and a breath test showed he was almost three times the drink drive limit.
Magistrates were told he and his spouse had made plans for him to have a drink and her to collect him, but that fell through when she suffered a fall and broke her arm.
Jobb’s decision to drive has resulted in him being banned from the roads for two years and hit with fines and costs of almost £1,300.
Prosecutor Samantha Brown said: “A motorist was driving home when his vehicle was hit by another driver.
“The vehicle went through a red light. He followed for 15 minutes until it came to a stop. When challenged, the other driver seemed drunk.
“The defendant was breath tested at the roadside and was arrested and taken into custody.
“The starting point for this is a medium level community order and a ban of 23 to 28 months. An aggravating factor is that he was involved in a collision.”
Jobb, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to a charge of drink driving.
He gave a reading in breath for alcohol of 92mcg. The legal limit is 35mcg.
Angus Westgarth, defending, said: “His wife was to pick him up, but he received a call from her that she had had a fall and broken her arm and was in hospital.
“It’s the first time and I would say the only time that he will come before a court. He understands that he is to be disqualified, it will cause some hardship.”
Magistrates fined Jobb £846, with a £338 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.