Motorist banned for refusing breathalyser after being spotted in incident on Northern Spire in Sunderland

Michael Stainbank, 31, pleaded guilty to two charges of failing to provide a sample when he appeared before South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.

Kirsty Devine, prosecuting, said on December 14 last year police were called to the Northern Spire Bridge in Sunderland at around 6am following reports that a male was threatening to jump.

She said: “When they arrived at the scene the car had already left.”

Ms Devine said police traced the car to Stainbank’s address in Seaham’s Warkworth Crescent.

She said: “The defendant appeared intoxicated, his speech was slurred and his eyes dilated.”

He was arrested and taken to the police station where Ms Devine said he refused to give a sample saying: “I’m not bothered.”

While on bail for this incident police were called to a report of a drink driver in Sunderland at 3.20am on January 12 and when they spotted the vehicle, a Nissan Qashqai, it drove through a red light.

Police stopped the vehicle, which was being driven by Stainbank.

She said: “He had slurred speech, dilated eyes and smelled of alcohol.”

Ms Devine said he was arrested and again refused to give a sample, this time he said he knew of someone who had refused to give a sample and got a lighter sentence and he knew he would be more than twice the limit.

Stainbank, who was not represented in court, said: “I am really sorry, it was bad decision making by myself.

“I was just having issues with work and private life and everything was getting on top of me.”

The father-of-three said he was having an argument with his partner when he was on the Northern Spire Bridge and it was her who called the police because she was concerned for his welfare.

District Judge Kathryn Meek, said: “As far as I am concerned these matters are serious.”

Stainbank was given an 18-month community order with 240 hours of unpaid work and was banned from driving for three years.