Sunderland road menace jailed after driving while banned for a fifth time

Daniel Ferguson, 25, of Dene Street, New Silksworth, is starting 18 weeks behind bars for that repeat crime.

He was sentenced to another two consecutive weeks for trying to trick police by giving them a false name.

Ferguson finally came clean after his arrest at 6.12am on Saturday, February 22, but then refused to provide a blood sample to be checked for alcohol.

As well as being jailed, he was banned from driving afresh for three years and 10 weeks at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.

Prosecutor Bushra Begum revealed his motoring offending began in 2019, when he was convicted of dangerous driving – and handed a suspended jail term.

In May 2021 he was caught driving while disqualified for the first time, an offence he repeated in January and March of 2022.

The last of those landed him a spell behind bars – but he committed the same offence again in September 2023.

Of his latest roads’ offences, Mrs Begum said Ferguson clipped a police car with its blue lights flashing when he pulled out from a junction.

They aborted their emergency on the A690 Durham Road and turned their attention to him.

Mrs Begum added: “He told officers, ‘Aye, I came out and didn’t see you’. When asked for his details, he said his name was Grant Ellis.

“He provided a roadside breath test which showed 41mcg of alcohol which is above the limit. He was arrested.

“It seems that in custody he was challenged and then admitted that his name was Daniel Ferguson.

“The station breathalyser was not working, and he was asked to provide a sample of blood. He said that he was afraid of needles.”

Ferguson pleaded guilty to failing to provide a sample of blood, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and obstructing police.

Ben Hurst, defending, said Ferguson had brought a bag of personal possessions with him to court in expectation of being jailed.

Mr Hurst added: “The circumstances as to what happened are that he had left a night shift, and there was a collision.

“It appears that Mr Ferguson had pulled out and a police car has collided with him. His car suffered damage.

“His record is somewhat abhorrent for driving while disqualified. His disqualification was due to end in March.

“He has found employment since his last set of offences. He is employed as a labourer.

“I’ve asked him why he drives while disqualified. He said he just does it. He drives the car because he makes that decision.

“He says he gave a 41mcg reading because he had had two sips of alcohol. He gave officers a false name because he panicked.”

District Judge Zoe Passfield also jailed Ferguson for four weeks for failing to provide a sample, to run concurrently, with no separate penalty for driving without insurance.

He must pay a £154 victim surcharge.