Drink-driver threatened to spit on face of officer
A RENOWNED crook crashed a car when drunk then threatened to spit on an officer’s face while refusing a breath test.
Paul Rush had necked booze and was on licence from prison when he got behind the wheel of a pal’s vehicle in Wallsend on December 28 last year.
The police were called by a witness after he heard a loud bang outside his home and saw Rush, who has 119 offences to his name, behind the wheel of the VW Golf, which was damaged.
That same witness had to detain Rush at the scene while officers arrived to take over, North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court was told.
Leanne Duffy, prosecuting, said: “The police arrived and saw the defendant. He was slurring his words, his eyes were glazed and he was making very little sense. He was arrested and taken to hospital.
“He was then released from hospital and taken to custody.
“He refused the breath test procedure, saying “F*** off or I will spit on your face”. He was asked to undertake the procedure again but said “F*** off you four-eyed c***”.”
Rush, of Stanley
Street West, in
North Shields, was further arrested and charged with failing to provide a specimen of breath, driving with no insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.
He has now been given a 12-month community order and must remain indoors in his home between 8pm and 7am for three months after he pleaded guilty to all three offences.
The court heard that Rush, who was recalled to prison following this latest offending and was only released last week, had combined medication and booze on the evening in question.
Stuart Moore, defending, said: “He suffers from depression and diabetes and is on a number of medications.”
He added: “Combined with alcohol, which is what happened here, his behaviour becomes unpredictable.”
Rush was also banned from driving for three years.