Drink-driving Nissan worker who hit pedestrian with Jaguar given road ban

Adam Atkinson, 25, told officers by phone he had hit a man who had run into the path of his Jaguar car in Charter Drive, Farringdon.

But Atkinson was returning home to Farringdon Avenue after playing pool in a pub with pals – and was routinely breathalysed.

He gave a reading only slightly above the drink-drive limit on Sunday, March 13, but enough to see him disqualified from the roads for a year.

Magistrates in South Tyneside heard his victim fled and may not have stopped due to being involved in nighttime criminal activity.

Prosecutor Bushra Begum said: “It was in fact the defendant who contacted police to report that he was at home after being involved in a road traffic accident with a pedestrian.

“Officers noted a smashed windscreen on a vehicle and took photos. The defendant was breath tested.”

Mrs Begum said Atkinson gave an initial reading of 40mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, against a legal limit of 35mcg.

But she revealed the level had risen to 45mcg by the time of an evidential breath test at a police station.

Atkinson, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to drink-driving.

Callum Terry, defending, told the hearing Atkinson had driven after downing only a couple of pints.

He said: “He had been out with friends playing pool. Someone came out into his path.

“He did the right thing and stopped but the chap ran off. There is some indication that he was doing something that he shouldn’t.

“He is employed by Nissan and has been for about seven years. The driving ban will cause him difficulties.”

John Lee, chair of the bench, told Atkinson he had committed a “catastrophic error” in driving after drinking.

He added: “You took it upon yourself to call the police even though you knew that you’d had a drink or two.

“The public are intolerant of people who drink and drive.”

As well as a ban, Atkinson was fined £450 and must pay £85 court costs and a £45 victim surcharge.