Banned driver’s car park antics

A BANNED driver who drove into a Tesco car park on three good wheels while over the limit – then sped around and chatted to women – may have been coerced into getting behind the wheel, it was claimed.

Sadiqul Islam, 26, turned up at the Gateshead town centre outlet in a Ford Mondeo with a ripped and detached frontside tyre.

Islam, of Lough Court, Beacon Lough, Gateshead, came to a stop across two parking bays and got out to speak to two women, a court heard.

After arousing their suspicions that he was drunk, he jumped back into his car, spun it around – and got back out to talk to them again. They were so concerned by his erratic behaviour on Saturday,

July 24, they snatched his keys and called police.

But Islam, who was banned from the roads for 20 months in March for drink-driving, claimed he been bullied into driving.

His solicitor said he had learning difficulties and was a vulnerable adult – and had been ordered by neighbourhood yobs to drive.

That was disputed by prosecutor Glenda Beck at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.

A breath test showed Islam had 85mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, over twice the 35mcg limit.

Mrs Beck said he did not comment during police interview but later confessed to a string of motoring offences after mobile phone footage came to light.

She added: “At this point, he disclosed that he had been threatened by people in his block of flats and told to drive the vehicle around, and that he was frightened of them. That’s not accepted by the prosecution. He was not at the flats and had every opportunity not to drive.”

Islam pleaded guilty to drinkdriving, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and permitting the use of a motor vehicle likely to cause danger of injury.

Ian Cassidy, defending, said: “The basis of plea is that he has a learning disability and has been targeted by others.

“He went for a walk around his area after drinking alcohol. He says he was threatened by three males and told to drive.

“He accepts that when he was in the car park he was not under threat. The defence of duress is not available to him.”

Magistrates adjourned the case for sentencing at the same court on January 6.