Salesman crashed into van while over drink-drive limit and arguing with girlfriend

Jordan Hall, 27, crashed his VW Golf in Houghton Road, Hetton, having drunk wine with their meal on a night out.

Hall, of Crampbark Road, Hetton, stayed at the scene until police arrived, magistrates in South Tyneside heard.

A breath test at around midnight on Saturday, August 28, showed 61mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath, against a legal limit of 35mcgs.

He is starting a 17-month roads’ ban and must pay almost £900 in fines and court costs after pleading guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

Prosecutor Paul Anderson said: “He’s not far short of twice the limit. He has no previous convictions.”

Hall, who represented himself in court, told the hearing: “The collision was at around 11.35pm. I waited around.

“I haven’t got an excuse in regard of the alcohol itself. I’d been for a meal, it wasn’t excessive drinking.

“I’d had a couple of glasses of wine. We had an argument, that’s why I crashed.

“I’ve a clean driving licence up to now. What I did was completely out of character. I’ve shown a lot of remorse.”

Neil Jackson, chair of the bench, told him: “You were almost double the legal limit.”

As well as his disqualification, Hall was fined £738 and must pay £85 court costs and a £74 victim surcharge.

Magistrates offered him the opportunity to sit a drink-driver rehabilitation course, successful completion of which reduces a ban by a quarter.