Care coordinator, 65, loses licence after failing to provide breath …
A care coordinator at a residential home was lost her licence after failing to provide a breath specimen for police.
Karen Drew, who was in charge of driving a minibus to take residents of a care home to activities, was spotted by officers behind the wheel of her silver Audi on New York[1] Road, in North Tyneside[2], one evening last month. A court[3] heard that the 65-year-old's vehicle was swerving across the carriageway and repeatedly went over the central white line.
As a result, the police indicated for Drew to come to a stop, which she did, and she was asked if she'd been drinking. Drew immediately admitted to having consumed alcohol five minutes prior to being pulled over and she was arrested after failing a roadside breath test, prosecutors said.
Drink-drive suspects are requested to provide further, more accurate samples of breath at the police station, which Drew was later asked to do. However, she repeatedly provided inadequate samples and was re-arrested for failing to provide a specimen of breath.
Drew, of Chilham Court, in North Shields[5], pleaded guilty to the offence when she appeared at North Tyneside Magistrates' Court this week. She was fined £270, ordered to pay £85 costs and a £108 victim surcharge and was banned from the roads for 12 months.
Prosecutor, Glenda Beck, said police spotted Drew in her Audi on New York Road at around 10.15pm July 1 this year. The constables decided to follow her after they witnessed the vehicle swerving in the road and repeatedly crossing the central white line.
Drew was pulled over and admitted to drinking alcohol five minutes beforehand. She was arrested after failing a roadside breath test.
Mrs Beck added: "She attempted to provide two specimens of breath at the police station but, despite being given four opportunities to provide, she continued to provide inappropriate specimens. She then continued to provide inappropriate specimens of breath.
"When asked if she had a medical condition to prevent her providing, she said she had breathing problems as a result of a previous injury where her nose was broken. Despite this, there was not a reasonable excuse for two specimens of breath not to be provided."
Rebecca Highton, defending, said Drew had provided a sample at the roadside and given a reason for failing to the police station, although that reason was not accepted as an excuse. The solicitor continued: "She was not asked at any point to give a blood specimen and she would have willingly done so."
References
- ^ New York (www.chroniclelive.co.uk)
- ^ North Tyneside (www.chroniclelive.co.uk)
- ^ court (www.chroniclelive.co.uk)
- ^ Ashington drink-driver took pal's car and ploughed it into pick-up truck before fleeing scene (www.chroniclelive.co.uk)
- ^ North Shields (www.chroniclelive.co.uk)