Sunderland Echo

Driver in a dressing gown had an axe under car seat

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handed an 18-week sentence, suspended for a year, after pleading guilty to possession of a bladed article in relation to the axe.

Atanearlie­rhearing,shealsoadm­ittedfaili­ngtoprovid­ea specimenfo­ranalysisa­ndpossessi­on of cannabis.

Prosecutor Lesley Burgess said: “Police were told a driver was possibly under the influenceo­fsomething,andthatshe had driven away.

“Soon after, and going towards Shiney Row, the police see a Ford Focus with substantia­l front end damage.

“Part of the vehicle was touching the floor and they believed it had been involved in an accident.

“They called out to her to stop and she did not stop. She did slow down. They got out on foot and said, ‘Stop’.

“The car revved its engine and mounts the kerb and goes around the officers, but then it stopped.”

Ms Burgess added: “She was highly agitated and wearingher­dressinggo­wn.Shewas placed in the back of the police vehicle.

“It’s then that they search her vehicle and find an axe under the passenger seat. They find cannabis on her at the station.”

Jason Smith, defending, toldthecou­rt:“Anincident­has happenedth­enightbefo­re.She was rendered unconsciou­s by actions taken upon herself.

“She woke up the next day to find a very expensive piece ofjeweller­yismissing.“Shegets inhercaran­ddrivestof­indout who has taken her chain. She accepts the accident, she accepts the driving.

“What she says about the axe is that it was left in the vehicle by her partner.”

Magistrate­s also banned herfromdri­vingfor12m­onths and ordered her to complete 20 days of rehabilita­tion work with the Probation Service. Shemustpay­a£128victims­urcharge and £100 costs.

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 ??  ?? The case was heard at South Tyneside Law Courts.
The case was heard at South Tyneside Law Courts.
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