Banned from the roads after driving in car after clubbing
WOMAN REFUSED A BREATH TEST DUE TO ANXIETY
LAUGHING outside court, this drink-driver escaped unpaid work – after a court heard she would probably just get a sick note.
Armani Nicholson has been banned from the roads for the second time in four years after she got caught behind the wheel after clubbing in South Shields.
But the stay-at-home mum, who pockets £900-a-month in benefits, questioned how she would afford her fine.
The mum-of-one had been partying with pals when police pulled her over near Whitburn.
She refused a breath test back at the station – blaming her “anxiety”.
Now, Nicholson has been banned again – but magistrates opted against unpaid work after a probation worker said: “I’ve no doubt she will be straight off to pick up a sick note.”
South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard Nicholson has a history of handing in sick notes to the probation service.
She claimed she’s waiting for NHS treatment for back pain and can’t work.
The 28-year-old lives with her five-year-old son in Hundens Lane, Darlington, where she had been driving home after a Saturday night out on September 29 turned violent.
The court heard she fled a club at 2.30am after bouncers kicked a group out for causing a fracas.
Fearing she may get caught up and “panicking”, Nicholson got the car keys and headed home with a friend – despite having been drinking.
She was charged with failing to supply a specimen and driving without insurance – and has been banned for two years.
“She’s in an awful mess and she could have hurt herself and her friend,” said the probation worker.
Nicholson, who described herself as a “social” drinker, was banned in 2014 for drink-diving and has another driving conviction.
In mitigation, her solicitor claimed she had simply been trying to escape the fracas safely and “didn’t think”.
She’s been banned and handed a community order, while the bench fined her £120 along with costs.
The cash will come out of her benefits weekly, despite probation claiming she said: “How will I pay it with money I’m getting?”