Banned drunk driver sped wrong way down roads
HE WAS DRIVING HIS VAN TO SEE HIS UPSET GIRLFRIEND
Reporter A BANNED driver flouted the speed limit and drove his van on the wrong side of the road while drunk – to see his upset girlfriend.
Kenneth Smart has avoided jail after police followed him travelling dangerously in the early hours of the morning through parts of Wallsend.
Officers saw the 30-year-old doing more than 60mph in a 40 limit along an unlit, single carriageway on Station Road North, in the town, a court heard.
He was then seen to drive his pal’s Citroen Berlingo van on the wrong side of the road and the wrong way round a roundabout before he was pulled over and breathalysed.
Smart, of St Peter’s Road, Byker, was found to be three times over the drink drive limit, blowing 104 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath.
He was also found to be a disqualified driver, having been banned from the roads for three years in May 2016 for another driving with excess alcohol matter.
North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court was told Smart claimed to the officers that he had been out drinking in nearby pubs and had decided to get behind of the wheel of his friend’s van because his upset girlfriend had rang him and wanted to see him.
Now, the road menace has narrowly avoided jail after pleading guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and driving with excess alcohol.
Maimuna Bappa, prosecuting, said police first observed Smart driving the van at around 1.46am on February 18.
She said: “The officers started following the van because it was driving at high speed. The area was an unlit, single carriageway with a 40mph limit.
“The driver was travelling up to and over 60mph. They continued to follow the vehicle, which continued to travel well in excess of the speed limit.
“The van then took the first exit at a roundabout. The area was still an unlit, single carriageway with a 40mph limit. At that location there is also a housing development site, which has a number of homes.” The prosecutor said Smart then drove on the wrong side of the road and the wrong way around a further roundabout before coming back on the right side of the carriageway. The police then activated their blue lights and Smart pulled over and was arrested. Ms Bappa told the court Smart had three previous convictions for driving while disqualified and a further conviction for driving with excess alcohol. Mark Harrison, mitigating, said Smart and his girlfriend had been having family issues and he’d “stupidly” decided to drive and see her when she rang him upset. Mr Harrison added: “It’s late at night, the roads are quiet and, mercifully, no other road users were put at risk. There’s no evasive action that needs to be taken and there’s no damage caused.” He was given a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and was banned from driving for 52 months. Maimuna Bappa