Drink driver left with £17,000 bill after crash
A drink-driver has been left to fund a £17,000 finance payment for his new motor after smashing it into trees while boozed up and getting a roads ban.
James Burns, 22, of Front Street, East Boldon, lost controlandcrashedhis2016-plate SeatLeoninHedworthLanein Jarrow, just after midnight on Saturday, December 21.
Magistrates in South Tyneside, who banned him from driving for 18 months, heard he still owns the money on finance and must continue to pay over £300-a-month until his debt is settled. They were told Burns, who works in manufacturing, had not long bought the motor when he spun off the road, the vehicle coming to rest on its side.
Prosecutor Jeff Taylor said: “On the 15th of December at about 12.20am, he lost control ofhisvehicleinHedworthLane and hit some trees and ended up on its side.
“Hetoldtheattendingofficer that he had had three pints of lager. A roadside breath test was a fail. He made full admissions. He has no previous convictions.”
Mr Taylor said Burns was takentoapolicestation,where two readings on a breath test deviceconfirmedBurnswasalmosttwicethedrink-drivelimit. The court heard his lowest readingwas67microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.
Michelle Stonley, defending, said: “Mr Burns had consumed three pints and he was over the limit when he went outtocollecthisgirlfriendthat night. Fortunately no other vehicle was involved and nobody was hurt. Mr Burns not did not leave the scene as some do.
“He was in the process of buying the motor vehicle and stillowes£17,000tothefinance company. He is thoroughly remorseful and ashamed that he is before the court today.”