South Tyneside parents report student missing - only to be told he's in police cells
South Tyneside student was reported missing - only for his parents to be told he was in a police cell.
A South Tyneside student left his parents frantic with worry when he failed to return home – because he had been locked up for drink driving, a court heard.
Dylan Parker, 20, found himself behind bars for his booze blunder instead of safely indoors with his folks in Sunnirise, Cleadon Park, South Shields.
He was spotted slumped in his motor at the junction of town centre Crossgate and Garden Lane at around midnight on Wednesday, April 15.
Police roused and then arrested him after he failed a roadside breathalyser, and an evidential alcohol test put him at over twice the legal limit.
‘Mum so panicked she urged husband to look for him’
Borough magistrates were told his mum was so panicked with concern she urged her husband to go out looking for him.
He instead contacted Northumbria Police to report the boy missing, only to be told he was safe but in custody.
Parker is now starting a 17-month road ban after pleading guilty to drink driving, his first criminal conviction.
Prosecutor Sara Kemp said: “Police were flagged down by a concerned member of the public, concerned by a male slumped over the wheel at a red light.
“He was roused by the officers and cooperated with a roadside breath test, which showed him over the limit, and he was arrested.
“He comes before the court with no previous convictions, this is his first time before a court. It’s a disqualification of between 17 and 22 months.”
Parker gave a reading in breath for alcohol of 75mcg. The legal limit is 35mcg.
Geoffrey Forrester, defending, said: “His parents had expected him to be home by midnight or thereabouts.
“When it got to about 3am and he wasn’t home – he was languishing in a police cell – his mother was demented with worry.
‘He was in their cells’
“She told his father to go around looking for him. The father reported him as a missing person and the police have, very efficiently, said he was in their cells.
“He had been out and about with friends, and they persuaded him not to go home and he had some drinks.”
Parker was also fined £200 and must pay £85 court costs and an £80 victim surcharge.