South Tyneside teenage drug driver facing jail after knuckle duster and baton discovery

A South Tyneside teenager found with offensive weapons after being caught drug driving could spend the New Year behind bars.

Callum Atkinson, 18, had with him a knuckle duster and the same weapon – and an illegal extendable baton – were found at his home after his arrest.

Atkinson, of Orchid Gardens, Cleadon Park, South Shields, appeared at the borough’s magistrates’ court to admit a string of offences committed on Friday, April 26.

He may be jailed when he returns to be sentenced on the afternoon of Tuesday, December 31, for what District Judge Zoe Passfield described as “serious offences”.

She ordered an all-options report into his offending, opening the door for a spell in custody.

Atkinson was stopped by police as he drove a Lexmoto motorbike in Renoir Gardens, Whiteleas, while high on amphetamine.

The offender was found in possession of a knuckle duster and a search of his home uncovered another such object and the baton.

He was also in possession of cannabis, and checks showed he was driving without insurance and did not have a valid MOT certificate.

The court was told the level of amphetamine in a sample of his blood taken after his arrest was 495mcg. The legal limit is 250mcg.

Prosecutor Lucy Todd told the hearing: “The extent of the offences, it is suitable to adjourn for a pre-sentence report.”

Atkinson pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon in public and two charges of possession of an offensive weapon in a private place.

He also admitted drug driving, possession of prohibited class B drug cannabis, having no valid test certificate and driving without insurance.

David Forrester, defending, did not address the hearing.

Judge Passfield adjourned the case for reports, imposed an interim driving ban on Atkinson and granted him unconditional bail.

She told him: “These are serious offences, possession of serious weapons.”