Drink-drive Sunderland teen seen 'drifting across the road' before crashing VW Polo into wall of house

Sophie Jackson’s decision to get behind the wheel of her VW Polo led to a positive breath test and an 18-month roads’ ban.

Jackson, 19, of Newhaven Avenue, raised suspicions when she pulled out in front of an unmarked patrol car.

Prosecutor Greg Flaxen said she did so at the junction of the A1018 Newcastle Road as she moved into Thompson Road, Seaburn.

He added: “She overshot the junction and pulled out in front of an unmarked patrol vehicle.

“The manner of driving, she is described as drifting across the road, and she has then gone past Southwick Green.

“She went past the police station and towards the Stadium of Light on Keir Hardie Way.

“The defendant then went left into Netherburn Road and into Newhaven Avenue.

“She has turned into the driveway and into the wall of the house. She exited the vehicle.

“She was swaying as she sat on a wall. She said that she had only had a couple.”

Jackson,who pleaded guilty to drink-driving, gave a breath test reading of 67mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.

Geoffrey Forrester, defending at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, said: “She is a very decent girl from a very decent family.

“Her parents are mortified, and she knows how fortunate she is that there were no more consequences to this.”

District Judge Zoe Passfield also fined Jackson £250, with a £100 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.

She offered Jackson a place on a drink-driver rehabilitation programme, completion of which reduces a ban by a quarter.