A motorist who refused to give an evidential breath test when suspected of being heavily drunk in Sunderland has been banned from getting behind the wheel for three years.

Jade Kinnear, 35, narrowly missed colliding with a police car when she pulled into an Asda fuel station in Thompson Road, High Southwick, a court heard.

Kinnear, of Medlar Close, Shiney Row, initially complied with a request to be breathalysed late on Wednesday, February 4 – and it came back at more than three times the limit.

She was arrested but slipped her handcuffs. A friend who was with her began screaming at police and tried to climb into the van Kinnear was being detained in.

Jade Kinnear gave a positive roadside breath test, but refused to give a second sample at a police station.

placeholder image — Jade Kinnear gave a positive roadside breath test, but refused to give a second sample at a police station.

During the melee, a policeman received a cut to his head, the cause of which was unclear, magistrates in South Tyneside heard.

Kinnear was eventually taken to a police station where she refused to be breath tested again, prosecutor Paul Anderson revealed.

At a previous hearing, she pleaded guilty to charges of failing to provide a sample for analysis and assault by beating of an emergency worker.

Her at-the-scene breath test reading showed she had 113mcg of alcohol in 100mls of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.

The case was heard at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court.

When Kinnear returned to court to be sentenced, Mr Anderson said: “She denied the assault by beating but later pleaded guilty.

“The officer says she became aggressive in relation to him and pulled her arms around, and ended up striking the officer.”

Gerry Armstrong, mitigating, admitted Kinnear had made a “poor decision” in relation to the incident.

He added: “She had had no intention to drive and had parked until right at the last minute when she was told she couldn’t park where she was.

“She had to move it and then her friend said she wanted to go to the shop, which was when the police saw her.

“She is going to get proper help for her mental health and for her alcohol use if it flares up again.”

As well as a driving ban, magistrates ordered Kinnear to pay £200 compensation to the police officer and fined her £100, with a £114 victim surcharge and £100 court costs.

She was also sentenced to a 12-month community order, with 15 rehabilitation days and a 12-month mental health requirement.