Teenager drives wrong way up 70mph South Tyneside dual carriageway

A reckless teenager diced with death by driving the wrong way on a 70mph South Tyneside dual carriageway in bid to escape police, a court heard.

Shane Irwin, 18, made the highly dangerous manoeuvre on the A184 Newcastle Road – between Testo’s roundabout and Whitemare Pool.

Irwin, of Arklecrag, Albany, Washington, was pursued as he drove southbound on the A19 from the Tyne Tunnel in a Ford Tourneo on Tuesday, August 20.

At Testo’s, at West Boldon, he swung right and the wrong way around the roundabout, joining the A184 at its exit point, prosecutor Glenda Beck said.

Police estimate at some stage on his overall escapade, he topped 100mph, magistrates in South Tyneside were told.

Irwin was tracked to a hotel in Washington, where he was found fully clothed and wearing trainers in bed but pretending to be asleep.

Mrs Beck said he was bailed but on Friday, October 11, committed a second dangerous driving offence, in a VW Golf.

He was verbally aggressive to a van driver at an industrial estate in Washington and then tailgated him along the A182 Washington Highway.

Irwin sped past and cut in front on a slip road, causing the other motorist to collide with him – and he then drove off as police were being called.

Magistrates heard they were known to each other, with the man previously accusing Irwin of a theft.

Of the August offence, Mrs Beck said: “Police were on patrol at 1am when they received radio comms of a blue Ford which was believed to be on false plates and stolen.

“An officer stopped near the Tyne Tunnel southbound on the A19 and the Tourneo went past. Other officers joined, and they caught up with it.

“At Testo’s roundabout, it went contraflow around the roundabout and onto the A184. It was travelling the incorrect way.”

Mrs Beck said Irwin headed back to the A19 northbound and the pursuit was called off due to the danger to road workers at the Tyne Tunnel.

She added: “The defendant drove to a hotel and his vehicle was found abandoned. He was staying in room 110.

Officers attended and the defendant was in bed. When they pulled back the covers, he was fully clothed and wearing trainers.”

Irwin was arrested and admitted being the driver of the Ford – and was granted bail.

He pleaded guilty to two counts each of dangerous driving, driving without a licence and driving without insurance.

Sandra Fife, defending, applied for Irwin to be bailed but added: “I’m not going to stand here and excuse his driving.”

She confirmed his run-in with the van driver came after he was accused by him of theft, and she said Irwin felt his victim had been staring at him.

Mrs Fife said: “He concedes that whatever the other guy has done, his driving is still unacceptable.”

Magistrates remanded Irwin into custody, to appear next at Newcastle Crown Court on Wednesday, November 13.

Tony Hewitson, chair of the bench, described his driving as “horrendous” and said he had “absolutely no idea” how no one had been killed.